title: [Exfoliative cancer cells in the surgical field of breast cancer].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the relationship between exfoliative cancer cells in the surgical field and pathological stages of breast cancer and provide a theoretical basis for killing or removing of the exfoliative cancer cells in the surgical field.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cytological examination of surgical field washings was performed in 104 patients with breast cancer. The results and pathological stages were compared and analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Exfoliative cancer cells were found in the surgical field washings in 36 of 104 (34.6%). Stage I, II and III showed a positive rate of 3.8%, 29.8% and 85.7%. The positive rate of T(1), T(2) and beyond T(3) were 10.8%, 33.3% and 77.3%, respectively. When the number of axillary metastatic lymph nodes was over four, the positive rate of exfoliative cancer cell was 76.0% and only 13.5% if no axillary lymph node metastasis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Killing or removing of the exfoliative cancer cells in the surgical field of breast cancer is necessary.
authors.affiliation: Affiliated Hospital of Shandong Medical University, Jinan 250012.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bi
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D015409:Mastectomy, Radical / Q000379:methods; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000517:prevention & control