Cytological Evaluation And Significance Of Cell Cannibalism In Effusions And Urine Cytology
- Author:
Farooq Ahmed Wani
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
cell cannibalism;
effusions;
urinary cytology
- From:The Malaysian Journal of Pathology
2015;37(3):265-270
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Cell cannibalism is believed to be an indicator of high-grade aggressive cancers with increased
metastatic potential. It denotes both anaplastic grade and invasiveness and is valuable in assessing
tumor behavior. The present study was a 2-year retrospective and 1-year prospective study conducted
in the Department of Pathology, Government Medical College, Jammu. PAP and MGG stained
smears of effusions and urinary cytology were evaluated for cannibalism. Cannibalism was assessed
by parameters like cellularity of cannibalism, diameter of cannibalistic cells, chromatin pattern
and background of the smears. Of 350 cases evaluated, 260 (74.2%) were benign and 90 (25.8%)
were malignant. Cannibalism was absent in all benign cases. Cannibalism was present in 14 ascitic
fluids, 7 pleural fluids, 1 pericardial fluid and 3 cases of urine cytology. Comparison of distribution
of cannibalism in effusions and urine did not yield statistically significant result (X2 = 0.8678 and
p >0.05). Comparison of other parameters between effusions and urine samples also did not yield
significant results. We conclude that cytological parameters of cellular cannibalism are better observed
in malignant effusions than in urine cytology but did not reach statistical significance. Cannibalism
can be assessed morphologically in malignant body fluids and is an indicator of increased tumour
growth.
- Full text:P020160315419104267347.pdf
