• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.12-18
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• 1992

It is very rare to diagnose a squamous cell carcinoma when the carcinoma cells are observed in various body fluids. The effusion cytology of squamous cell carcinoma has not been sufficiently studied till now. We examined 10 cases of body fluid cytologic specimen diagnosed as metastatic squamous ceil carcinoma, which were selected among 2,100 body fluid cytology cases collected from 1986 to 1991. The patients had been confirmed to have primary squamous ceil carcinomas. The backgrounds of cellular aspirates were necrotic in most and the cells appeared in clusters or individually. The cell clusters showed round and smooth margins, mimicking adenocarcinoma, but in flat sheets rather than three-dimensional bails. the individual cells were most frequently Graham's 3rd-type cells, found in all cases, which were described as 1.5 times large as the parabasal cells and having small cytoplasmic rims. Other malignant squamous cells were undifferentiated cells, polygonal cells, fiber cells, and tadpole cells with decreasing order of frequency. The recognition of various features of malignant squamous cells would be helpful for the diagnosis of squamous ceil carcinoma found in effusion cytology.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.90-93
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• 1992

A case of multiple myeloma with massive pleural effusion is reported. A 53 year-old previous known multiple myeloma patient vistited our hospital complaining of cough with sputum. Radiologic study revealed multiple osteolytic bony lesions and left side pleural effusion. The effusion were bloody exudates containing numerous atypical plasma cells. The tumor cells showed pleomorphism, eccentric nuclei, prominent nucleoli, perinuclear halo, multincleation, and chromatin patterns of occasional cart-wheel appearance. The cytological examination of pleural fluid established the malignant nature of the effusion with multiple myeloma.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.74-76
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• 1993

Cytologic findings of pleural effusion in three cases of rhabdomyosarcoma are reported. Case 1 was a pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma which had devoped at the chest wall of an elderly male patient and caused pleural effusion. The cytologic features were consistent with pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma, that was, showing loose clusters, cellular pleomorphism, and abundant finely vesicular cytoplasm. Cases 2 and 3 were embryonal rhabdomyosarcomas in young adults. Primary site was the oral cavity in case 1, but unknown in case 2 and case 3. The effusion cytology was similar in these cases. Clustered or isolated small round cells with hyperchromatic nuclei and scanty cytoplasm were smeared. The cohesiveness of tumor cells was weak and the cells did not show linear arrangement or nuclear melding. Effusion cytology in a sarcoma patient would be diagnostic when the primary site and the type of sarcoma were already known.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.16
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• pp.6919-6922
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• 2014

Background: The cytological analysis of serous effusions is a common investigation and yields important diagnostic information. However, the distinction of reactive mesothelial cells from malignant cells can sometimes be difficult for the cytopathologist. Hence cost-effective ancillary methods are essential to enhance the accuracy of cytological diagnosis. The aim of this study was to examine the utility of nuclear morphometry in differentiating reactive mesothelial cells from malignant cells in effusion smears. Materials and Methods: Sixty effusion smears consisting of 30 effusions cytologically classified as malignant (adenocarcinomas) and 30 benign effusions showing reactive mesothelial cells were included in the study. ImageJ was used to measure the nuclear area, perimeter, maximal feret diameter, minimal feret diameter and the circularity. A total of ten representative cells were studied in each case. Results: Significant differences were found between benign and malignant effusions for the nuclear area, perimeter, maximal feret diameter and minimal feret diameter. No significant difference was found for circularity, a shape descriptor. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed that nuclear area, perimeter, maximal feret diameter, and minimal feret diameter are helpful in discriminating benign and malignant effusions. Conclusions: Computerised nuclear morphometry is a helpful ancillary technique to distinguish benign and malignant effusions. ImageJ is an excellent cost effective tool with potential diagnostic utility in effusion cytology.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.125-132
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• 1995

Cytodiagnosis of pleural and ascitic fluid is a commonly performed laboratory examination. Especially, positivity for malignant cells in effusion cytology is very effective and also presents the first sign of malignancy in unknown primary site of the tumor. We examined each 34 cases of pleural and ascitic fluid cytologic specimen diagnosed as metastatic tumor, which was selected among 964 pleural fluid cytology cases and 662 ascitic fluid cytology cases from September 1989 to June 1995. Among the pleural fluid cytology specimens examined, 34 specimens were positive in 27 patients. The lung was the most frequent primary site(44%), followed by the stomach (12%), lymphoreticular neoplasm(12%), pancreas(3%) and colon(3%). And the cases of unknown primary site with positive pleural biopsy alone were 24%. Among trio ascitic fluid cytology specimens examined, 34 specimens were positive in 29 patients. The most common primary neoplasms. were carcinomas of ovary(32%), stomach(22%), colon(6%), breast(3%), pancreas(3%), and lung(3%) and lymphoreticular neoplasms(3%) The metastatic tumor was predominantly adenocarcinoma type in both pleural(82%) and ascitic(91%) fluid. The study of metastatic adeno- carcinoma in effusion from lung, ovary, and stomach was undertaken to find distinctive features for the identification of the primary site. The smears of metastatic pulmonary adenocarcinoma had a tendency to show high grade pleomorphism and many large tight cell clusters, whereas that of the ovarian adenocarcinoma showed low grade pleomorphism with abundant intracytoplasmic vacuoles in relatively clear background. That of the stomach revealed the intermediate features.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.138-143
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• 1996

The diagnostic accuracy of routine cytological preparations from effusions ranges from 60% to 70%. Immunohistochemical markers, especially tumor-associated antigens, have been successfully employed to increase diagnostic sensitivity in effusion cytology. However, more than two different antibodies in diagnosis of effusions are needed. In the view of prevalence of abnormalities of p53 gene in human malignancies we investigated the diagnostic usefulness of demonstration of p53 protein immunoreactivity in distinguishing benign changes versus malignant processes in effusions. p53 protein expression was studied immunohistochemically in 76 effusions(28 malignant and 48 benign) using anti-human p53 antibody p53 immunoreactivity was identified in 19 of 28(67.9%) malignant effusions. In contrast, no p53 immunoreactivity was observed in all benign effusions. A specificity of 100% and a sensitivity of 67.9% were observed. These results suggest that immunohistochemical detection of p53 protein seems to be helpful in distinguishing benign changes versus malignant processes in effusions, although its principal limitation is its relatively low sensitivity.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.64 no.4
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• pp.285-292
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• 2008

Background: A diagnosis of malignant pleural effusion is clinically important, as the prognosis of lung cancer patients with malignant pleural effusion is poor. The diagnosis will be difficult if a cytological test is negative. This study was performed to investigate whether the detection of hypermethylation of the p16 (CDKN2A) and retinoic acid receptor b2 (RARB2) genes in pleural fluid is useful for a diagnosis of malignant pleural effusion. Methods: Pleural effusion was collected from 43 patients and was investigated for the aberrant promoter methylation of the RARB2 and CDKN2A genes by use of methylation-specific PCR. Results were compared with findings from a pleural biopsy and from pleural fluid cytology. Results: Of 43 cases, 17 cases of pleural effusion were due to benign diseases, and 26 cases were from lung cancer patients with malignant pleural effusion. Hypermethylation of the RARB2 and CDKN2A genes was not detected in the case of benign diseases, independent of whether or not the patients had ever smoked. In 26 cases of malignant pleural effusion, hypermethylation of RARB2, CDKN2A or either of these genes was detected in 14, 5 and 15 cases, respectively. The sensitivities of a pleural biopsy, pleural fluid cytology, hypermethylation of RARB2, hypermethylation of CDKN2A, or hypermethylation of either of the genes were 73.1%, 53.8%, 53.8%, 19.2%, and 57.7%, respectively; negative predictive values were 70.8%, 58.6%, 58.6%, 44.7%, and 60.7%, respectively. If both genes are considered together, the sensitivity and negative predictive value was lower than that for a pleural biopsy, but higher than that for pleural fluid cytology. The sensitivity of hypermethylation of the RARB2 gene for malignant pleural effusion was lower in small cell lung cancers than in non-small cell lung cancers. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that detection of hypermethylation of the RARB2 and CDKN2A genes showed a high specificity, and sensitivity was higher than for pleural fluid cytology. With a better understanding of the pathogenesis of lung cancer according to histological types at the molecular level, and if appropriate genes are selected for hypermethylation testing, more precise results may be obtained.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.36-41
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• 2003

Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma is a rare vascular tumor of borderline malignancy which is characterized by the presence of "epithelioid" or "histiocytoid" endothelial cells. Superficial and deep tumors have been recognized in the extremities, head, neck, chest, and mediastinum of adult patients. It may also occur as a primary tumor of liver, bone, and other visceral organs. Few effusion cytologic findings of epithelioid hemangioendothelioma have been reported. We report a case of composite epithelioid hemangioendothelioma with focal epithelioid angiosarcomatous areas of the iliac bone and adjacent soft tissue in a 38-year-old female, which, during its metastatic course, was presented as a pleural effusion. The effusion was cellular with epithelioid cells presenting both singly and in clusters. The tumor cells were round to ovoid shewing cytoplasmic vacuolization, variability in cell size, and prominent nucleoli. The effusion smears and cell block sections revealed strong positive staining for CD31 and vimentin, weak positive for CD34 and Factor VIII-related antigen, and negative for cytokeratin, CEA, and calretinin. The cytologic findings in this case were similar to that of metastatic adenocarcinoma or malignant mesothelioma. Therefore, immunocytochemical staining in smear and cell block is a helpful tool to differentiate malignant 'epithelioid' cells in effusion.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.289-291
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• 2004

Malignant melanoma develops from melanocytes and frequently metastases to other organs. Common metastatic sites are other skin, lymph nodes, lung, liver, brain and bone in decreasing order of frequency. Malignant pleural effusion is less frequent manifestation of thoracic metastasis. We experienced a 57-year-old man with pleural effusion who received radical resection with local flap on left foot due to acral lentiginous melanoma 3 years ago. He had progressive chest pain and left massive pleural effusion. The pleural cytology and biopsy showed malignant melanoma. After closed thoracostomy and talc pleurodesis, he refused further immunotherapy and chemotherapy and discharged.

• 대한세포병리학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1991.06a
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• pp.8.1-8.1
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• 1991