title: Comparing ascitic aspirate and tissue biopsy in the diagnosis of ovarian malignancy.
abstract: The objective of this retrospective study was to assess the role of tissue biopsy in ovarian cancer where a diagnosis had been made from cytological assessment of ascites. A total of 63 women had been coded for ovarian carcinoma during the period; 48 had undergone cytological or histological investigation, of which six had undergone tissue biopsy, despite having had a cytological diagnosis. In all six cases (100%), the tissue biopsy concurred with the original diagnosis. We conclude that, where a clinically- and radiologically-correlated cytological diagnosis is made, the benefits of an invasive procedure to obtain tissue samples do not outweigh the risks to the patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust, Hardwick Lane, Bury St Edmunds, UK. ashley.may@cantab.net
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: May
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Love
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gull
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000473:pathology*; D001706:Biopsy; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies