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  • Title: Laparoscopy alone is superior to peritoneal cytology in staging gastric and esophageal carcinoma.
    Author: Wilkiemeyer MB, Bieligk SC, Ashfaq R, Jones DB, Rege RV, Fleming JB.
    Journal: Surg Endosc; 2004 May; 18(5):852-6. PubMed ID: 15054656.
    Abstract:
    BACKGROUND: Laparoscopy identifies metastatic disease in patients with upper gastrointestinal malignancies; however, it has been suggested that cytological examination of peritoneal washings may increase the diagnostic yield. We hypothesize that the addition of cytologic washings to a standardized staging laparoscopy is unnecessary for the identification of intraabdominal metastasis in patients with gastric/esophageal cancer. METHODS: Forty patients with gastric/esophageal cancer were prospectively evaluated. Patients successfully underwent a diagnostic laparoscopy protocol (with biopsies) during which peritoneal washings were obtained and processed for cytologic analysis. Laparoscopic versus cytologic identification of intraabdominal metastasis were compared. RESULTS: Forty patients successfully completed laparoscopy with collection of peritoneal washings. Laparoscopic examination of the peritoneal cavity upstaged 21 (52.5%) patients. Laparoscopic examination consistently identified a statistically significant higher number of positive patients than cytologic examination of peritoneal washings (p = 0.001) and examination of cytologic washings alone failed to identify 45% of patients with positive findings and laparoscopy. The addition of cytologic examination added no additional stage IV patients to the laparoscopy-negative group. CONCLUSION: A standardized laparoscopic examination alone is sufficient for the identification of intraabdominal metastatic disease in patients with gastric and esophageal cancer.
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