Peritoneal Washing Cytology in Small Cell Carcinoma of the Uterine Cervix : A case report

A case of small cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix, in which peritoneal washing cytology (PWC) was useful for evaluating the extent of cancer spread, is reported. Preoperative smear cytology of the cervix showed that the cancer cells were immunoreactive with anti-chromogranin A antibody and NCC-Lu 243, which is a monoclonal antibody directed against cluster 1 small cell lung cancer antigen. The clinical stage of the disease was Ib, and the patient underwent radical hysterectomy. Although no ascitic fluid was present and peritoneal dissemination was not evident macroscopically, intraoperative PWC demonstrated numerous small cell carcinoma cells. The pelvic lymph nodes did not appear to be swollen, but pathological examination of a surgically resected specimen revealed cancer metastasis. This case suggests that PWC would be very useful for accurate evaluation of the microscopic extent of cancer spread at the time of surgery for small cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix.