Abstract
Ninety effusions from patients with breast and ovarian cancer were studied cytologically and classified as benign, suspicious or malignant, and the same samples were studied for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and fibronectin (F) immunostaining. The combination F positive/CEA negative was found to have 100% specificity and 92.3% sensitivity in patients with benign or reactive effusions, and F negative/CEA positive 85.7% specificity and 80.7% sensitivity for malignancy. Immunostaining provides valuable supplementary information in cytologically suspicious patients. In the presence of F negative/CEA negative effusions, it is probable that insufficient cellular material is present for either a cytologic or immunostaining diagnosis.
MeSH terms
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Adenocarcinoma / chemistry*
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Adenocarcinoma / diagnosis
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Adenocarcinoma / pathology*
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Ascitic Fluid / chemistry
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Ascitic Fluid / immunology
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Ascitic Fluid / pathology*
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Breast Neoplasms / chemistry*
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Breast Neoplasms / diagnosis
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Breast Neoplasms / pathology*
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Carcinoembryonic Antigen / analysis*
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Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / pathology*
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Diagnosis, Differential
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Epithelium / chemistry
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Epithelium / pathology
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Female
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Fibronectins / analysis*
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Humans
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Immunohistochemistry
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Ovarian Neoplasms / chemistry*
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Ovarian Neoplasms / diagnosis
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Ovarian Neoplasms / pathology*
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Pleural Effusion, Malignant / chemistry
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Pleural Effusion, Malignant / immunology
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Pleural Effusion, Malignant / pathology*
Substances
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Carcinoembryonic Antigen
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Fibronectins