Summary and conclusions
Duodenal-drainage smears from 301 patients were examined. Of these, 73 patients had pancreatic carcinoma, while 32 patients had malignant tumors at other sites. Malignant tumor cells were found in 23 cases of pancreatic carcinoma and in 7 patients with carcinoma of the gallbladder and common duct. Atypical cells of pancreatic ductal origin and having neoplastic significance were present in 16 cases of 13 patients with pancreatic carcinoma. Malignancy-associated changes in cells of undetermined origin were seen in 29 patients with pancreatic carcinoma and in 19 with malignant tumors at other sites. Of 25 specimens with equivocal cells, carcinoma of the pancreas and common duct was present in 4 patients. Three patients of 135 with negative cytologic specimens had pancreatic carcinoma.
The recognition of cells in duodenal drainage smears may be improved by comparative cytologic studies of cells in smears and histologic sections. The application of definitive criteria permits diagnoses on firmer grounds than those of visual microscopic impression alone without micrometric studies and the use of an oil-immersion objective. The cytomorphologic changes in smears and histologic sections and their significance are described for the various categories of cells encountered in duodenal drainage smears.
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The investigation described in this article was supported by Grant T-123a-t from the American Cancer Society and by the Division of Cancer Control and Research, New York City Department of Health.
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Nieburgs, H.E., Dreiling, D.A., Rubio, C. et al. The morphology of cells in duodenal-drainage smears: Histologic origin and pathologic significance. Digest Dis Sci 7, 489–505 (1962). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02236128
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02236128