Healthcare professionals use mesothelioma cytology to find cancer cells in fluid samples from the lungs’ lining (pleural fluid) or abdomen (peritoneal fluid).
They insert a needle into the affected area and take out a small amount of fluid. Then, they check the fluid under a microscope for abnormal cells.
Mesothelioma cytology is a quick and painless test, but it doesn’t always give a clear answer. If the results are positive or unclear, more tests may be necessary to confirm mesothelioma.
This test is about 50-60% accurate in diagnosing mesothelioma.
mesotheliomaMesothelioma Cytology
Mesothelioma is a cancer that grows in the lining of the lungs, abdomen, or heart. It’s hard to diagnose early, but catching it soon can help patients a lot.
Mesothelioma cytology is a helpful way to find cancer cells. It’s a simple procedure that finds these cells, helping doctors make a clear diagnosis and plan treatment.
Understanding Mesothelioma and its Presentation
The mesothelium, a thin cell layer, protects the lungs (pleura), abdomen (peritoneum), and heart (pericardium). Exposure to asbestos, the main cause of mesothelioma, causes inflammation in these cells, which can lead to cancer.
Mesothelioma symptoms often show up many years after exposure and can look like other illnesses. Pleural mesothelioma may cause chest pain, breathing problems, and a long-lasting cough.
Peritoneal mesothelioma can lead to stomach pain, swelling, and weight loss. Finding it early is important because mesothelioma grows fast and treatment choices are limited.
The Role of Mesothelioma Cytology:
Mesothelioma cytology, also called cytopathology, finds possible cancer cells with a simple procedure. It collects a small fluid sample (effusion) that builds up in the chest (pleural effusion) or abdomen (ascites) because of tumors.
A healthcare professional, often a pulmonologist or gastroenterologist, will explain the procedure and get consent from the patient. The patient will be positioned comfortably, either lying down or sitting up, depending on which area needs attention.
Using ultrasound or other imaging, they’ll guide a thin needle into the affected area. Sometimes, they’ll use local anesthesia to numb the spot.
They’ll carefully draw out a small amount of fluid with a syringe. How much depends on the case and how easy it is to get the sample.
The fluid they collect is prepared for examination under a microscope. They might turn it into a cell block or spread it on a glass slide for this.
Examining the Microscopic Landscape
After preparation, a pathologist, a doctor specialized in diagnosing diseases by studying cells and tissues, carefully examines the fluid sample under a microscope. They look for specific signs in the cells that might show cancer:
- More cells than usual in the fluid (increased cellularity).
- Cells that are bigger and have odd shapes compared to healthy ones (abnormal cell size and shape).
- Changes in the nucleus, which holds the cell’s genes, like its size, shape, and having many nucleoli (structures in the nucleus) in cancer cells.
- Cancer cells may not stick together well, forming bigger groups or being alone (loss of cell cohesion).
Interpreting the Results
Mesothelioma cytology results fall into these categories:
- Positive: Malignant cells are there, confirming mesothelioma. This result is definite and leads to more tests for staging and treatment.
- Negative: No malignant cells, but it doesn’t rule out mesothelioma. More tests might be necessary for a clear diagnosis.
- Atypical or suspicious: Some cell features are worrying, but it’s not clear-cut. Additional tests like immunohistochemistry, which uses markers to identify cell types, are often used for a clearer result.
Limitations of Mesothelioma Cytology
Mesothelioma cytology, while useful, has limitations. The test’s accuracy can vary from 50-60%. Factors that can influence accuracy include:
- Technical skills: The person doing the procedure and preparing the sample’s experience and skill can affect how well the sample turns out and how clear the results are.
- Sampling differences: Sometimes, the needle might not get a good sample of the fluid, especially if the tumors are small or hard to reach.
- Non-specific results: Some non-cancerous conditions can look like mesothelioma cells, making it tricky to tell them apart.
Beyond Cytology
Because of its limitations, doctors often use mesothelioma cytology first for diagnosis. If the results are positive or not clear, more tests are usually needed for confirmation. These tests can include:
- Imaging tests like X-rays, CT scans, and PET scans to see how big the tumor is and if it’s affecting other organs.
- Biopsy, where a small piece of tissue is taken directly from the suspected tumor and looked at closely under a microscope for a clear diagnosis