Diagnostic value of peritoneal lavage fluid cytology findings of peritoneal invasion in patients with gastric cancer

Introduction: Currently, patients diagnosed with gastric cancer typically undergo surgical or laparoscopic examination to assess the presence of metastasis. Methods: This study involved 35 candidates for gastric adenocarcinoma surgery, consisting of 21 males and 14 females from medical centers in Rasht, Iran, in 2021. Patients reported initial complaints such as abdominal pain, nausea, weight loss, loss of appetite, and anemia. All data was analyzed using SPSS version 21. Results: Peritoneal lavage cytology results indicated 14 positive cases and 21 negative cases for peritoneal metastasis, while laparoscopic examination during surgery showed 12 positive cases and 23 negative cases. There was concordance between the two methods in 23 cases regarding the presence or absence of peritoneal metastasis, while 12 cases showed inconsistency. Specifically, five cases had negative peritoneal lavage cytology and positive laparoscopic examination, and seven had positive peritoneal lavage cytology and negative laparoscopic examination. Although peritoneal lavage cytology aligned with intraoperative findings regarding patient feasibility. Conclusion: The study illustrated that solely on peritoneal lavage cytology results is not enough for determining peritoneal invasion in patients with gastric cancer.