Cytologic characteristics of circulating epithelioid cells in pancreatic disease

CONCLUSIONSCECs were observed in patients with malignant and nonmalignant pancreatic disease, but not in healthy controls. There were no morphologic differences observed between cells from different pancreatic diseases, suggesting that numerous conditions may be associated with CECs in the circulation and that care must be taken not to overinterpret cells identified by cytomorphology as indicative of circulating tumor cells of pancreatic cancer. Additional studies are required to determine the origin and clinical significance of these cells. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2017. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

Source: Cancer Cytopathology - January 31, 2017 Category: Pathology Authors: Matthew W. Rosenbaum, Christy E. Cauley, Birte Kulemann, Andrew S. Liss, Carlos Fernandez ‐del Castillo, Andrew L. Warshaw, Keith D. Lillemoe, Sarah P. Thayer, Martha B. Pitman Tags: Original Article Source Type: research