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Matsuoka et al. J Cancer Metastasis Treat 2018;4:6 Journal of Cancer
DOI: 10.20517/2394-4722.2017.85 Metastasis and Treatment

Review Open Access

Significance of peritoneal lavage cytology based on
genetic signatures in gastric cancer

Tasuku Matsuoka , Masakazu Yashiro 1, 2
1
1 Department of Surgical Oncology, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka 545-8585, Japan.
2 Molecular Oncology and Therapeutics, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka 545-8585, Japan.

Correspondence to: Dr. Masakazu Yashiro, Department of Surgical Oncology, Osaka City University Graduate School of
Medicine, 1-4-3 Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka 545-8585, Japan. E-mail: m9312510@med.osaka-cu.ac.jp
How to cite this article: Matsuoka T, Yashiro M. Significance of peritoneal lavage cytology based on genetic signatures in gastric
cancer. J Cancer Metastasis Treat 2018;4:6. http://dx.doi.org/10.20517/2394-4722.2017.85
Received: 12 Oct 2017 First Decision: 5 Jan 2018 Revised: 11 Jan 2018 Accepted: 17 Jan 2018 Published: 9 Feb 2018

Science Editor: Masayuki Watanabe Copy Editor: Jun-Yao Li Production Editor: Cai-Hong Wang

Abstract
Peritoneal metastasis is the most common pattern of recurrence and the most frequent cause of death after surgery in
patients with gastric cancer. Peritoneal free cancer cells disseminated from the primary lesion site have been considered the
main cause of peritoneal metastasis. Peritoneal lavage cytological examination (PLC) has been shown to be an independent
predictor of gastric cancer relapse after curative resection and poor overall survival. However, the conventional cytological
examinations have high rates of false-positive and false-negative findings. To improve the sensitivity, molecular-based
methods using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction have been developed for detecting cancer cells in
peritoneal wash fluids of patients with gastric cancer. We performed a PubMed search for articles describing PLC in gastric
cancer. Relevant articles were reviewed and data on available outcomes elaborated. The clinical roles and attributes of PLC
in gastric cancer were reviewed, and its future application to this disease is discussed.

Keywords: Gastric cancer, peritoneal lavage cytology, genetic detection, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction,
carcinoembryonic antigen

INTRODUCTION
Gastric cancer is the most common malignancy worldwide and the second leading cause of cancer-related
[1]
death . Despite the development of surgical techniques and new therapeutic strategies, the outcome of
patients with advanced gastric cancer is still unsatisfactory . Peritoneal dissemination is the most common
[2]
pattern of metastasis or recurrence, and is the most frequent cause of death after surgery in patients
with gastric cancer. Intraperitoneal free cancer cells exfoliated from the cancer-invaded serosa has been

© The Author(s) 2018. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
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