The role of pleural effusion cytology in the diagnosis of malignancies

: During 6 yrs' period the malignant or suspicious cells were found in 219 patients. The male to female ratio was 1.2:1. The youngest patient was 21 yrs old, the oldest 92. Most patients were from the age group 55-64 yrs. The most frequent primary localisation of cancer with cytologically positive or suspicious pleural effusion was lung, on the second place was breast cancer in females and pleura in males. In 11.4% of patients the cytologic finding was suspicious. Most frequently the cells of mesothelioma could not be classified with certainty. In 94 patients the malignant cells were found in pleural effusion and also in any other kinds of material. In 125 patients the other materials were not examined or they were negative. In 76 patients apart from cytological examination of pleural effusion the histological examination of the material obtained by blind needle biopsy or by thoracoscopy was examined. Cytology was positive in 67.1% of cases and histology in 89.5%.