[Post-operative peritoneal washing cytology in cases of stage IIIa endometrial carcinoma with positive peritoneal cytology].
According to the new FIGO staging of corpus cancer, the cases with positive peritoneal cytology alone belong in stage IIIa. The authors previously reported, however, good prognosis of IIIa cases with only positive peritoneal cytology. In order to assess the potential of malignant cells in the peritoneal cavity to metastasize, post-operative peritoneal washing cytology was undertaken. This study was conducted on a total of 115 consecutive patients with endometrial carcinoma who underwent primary surgical therapy at the Cancer Institute Hospital during the 25-month period from December, 1991 to December, 1993. Fifteen cases were included in stage IIIa with positive intraoperative peritoneal cytology alone. In 12 cases with endometrioid adenocarcinoma, a Silascon tube was indwelt in the abdominal cavity before closure of the abdomen. The peritoneal cavity was washed with 500 ml of physiological saline through the indwelt tube 14 days after the operation. The cytology of recovered washings was negative in all cases. Only two cases received postoperative chemotherapy owing to other prognostic factors. These 12 cases are alive with no evidence of disease after 12 to 36 months. The present study demonstrated that malignant cells in the peritoneal cavity appear to have a very low potential for implantation into the peritoneum.
Kato
T
T
Department of Gynecology, Cancer Institute Hospital, Tokyo.
Hirai
Y
Y
Hasumi
K
K
D000328:Adult; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000473:pathology*; D018269:Carcinoma, Endometrioid / Q000473:pathology; D003581:Cytodiagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation