The Health Blog

YOUR CANCER, YOUR LIFE – EXFOLIATIVE CYTOLOGY

‘Exfoliative’ means falling off (like leaves off a tree). ‘Cytology’ means the study of cells. When a cancer breaks through any surface, cells fall off it singly or in little clusters. For example, a lung cancer which has grown through the lining of a bronchial tube sheds cells which may be coughed up. Examination of sputum (spit) specimens under the microscope may reveal cancer cells. Cells from cancer of the bladder can float off and be found in specimens of urine. Cells from cancer of the uterus (womb) or cervix (neck of the womb) may be found in samples taken from the surface of the vagina and cervix (a Pap smear). When the diagnosis is made by this method, we can sometimes be in the position of knowing that a cancer is present before we have ‘seen’ it by some other means. For example, a sputum specimen from a patient who has been coughing blood sometimes shows cancer cells when the X-ray looks quite normal (that is, the cancer is too small to show up on the X-ray).

Exfoliative cytology is a quick and easy way of making a diagnosis when it is positive, that is, cancer cells are found. However, when it is negative, that is, no cancer cells are found, it is not so helpful because cancer may still be the cause of the symptom. Some cancers don’t release cells at all, or only release them now and then, so clear specimens do not necessarily mean no cancer. Other tests would be necessary to make a definite diagnosis.

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