title: Tumour cell frequency in pleural lavage in cases with stage I epidermoid lung cancer with no visceral pleural involvement.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The presence of tumour cells in the pleural lavage of lung cancer patients with no malignant pleural effusion is a negative prognosticator. In the present study we aimed to determine the lowest frequency of positive pleural lavage in lung cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 26 consecutive patients who underwent thoracotomy for curative resection for Stage I epidermoid lung cancer. The cases had neither visceral pleural involvement nor obstructive pneumopathy. The patients were applied pleural lavage cytology immediately after thoracotomy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequency of malignant cells in pleural lavage was 7.7% (Stage IA, n = 1, and IB, n = 1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our series, in which we predicted the lowest probability of the presence of tumour cells in pleural lavage, had such a frequency of positive tumour cells that should'nt be neglected. The present study concluded that pleural lavage cytology before pulmonary resection should routinely be performed in 'all' lung cancers and that pleural lavage cytology may also be included in the current staging system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Erciyes University Medical Faculty, Kayseri, Turkey. foguzkaya@erciyes.edu.tr
authors.forename: Fahri
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Oguzkaya
authors.forename: Yigit
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Akçali
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bilgin
authors.forename: Arif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haberal
authors.forename: Hülya
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Akgün
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010994:Pleura / Q000166:cytology* / Q000473:pathology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D013908:Thoracotomy