Cytomorphologic characterization of cell subsets isolated by density gradient centrifugation from tumor effusions of ovarian endometrioid carcinoma.

Abstract

Cytomorphologic characterization of tumor cell subsets, according to the stage of pathologic differentiation, and comparison of cellular composition in tumor cyst and ascitic fluids were carried out on individual patients with ovarian endometrioid carcinoma. A density gradient centrifugation technique was applied to fractionate the cells from tumor effusions. The enrichment of cell forms representing individual stages of pathologic differentiation by gradient centrifugation facilitated their cytomorphologic characterization. According to cytomorphologic features, 5 discrete cell subpopulations were identified and catalogued. The cellular composition of tumor cyst and ascitic fluids in individual patients was similar, but the number of fractions and percentage of cell subsets differed. The estimation of precise cytomorphologic criteria for cell forms in tumor effusions facilitated the cytologic diagnosis of ovarian endometrioid carcinoma. The possibility to concentrate poorly differentiated, frankly malignant cell subsets in low densities could significantly improve the diagnosis of tumor effusions.