FALSE-POSITIVE MALIGNANT PERITONEAL CYTOLOGY AND PSAMMOMA BODIES IN BENIGN GYNECOLOGIC DISEASE

OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of false positive malignant peri toneal cytology and psammoma bodies associated with benign gynecologic disorders. STUDY DESIGN: Pelvic peritoneal fluid was prospectively co llected for cytologic examination from 119 women undergoing laparoscop y for benign conditions (infertility, 67; pelvic pain, 35; elective st erilization, 17). The median age was 30. No patient had laparoscopic g ross cancer or histologic evidence of cancer. RESULTS: The peritoneal cytology of 2 of 119 cases (2%) contained cells with features suggesti ve of malignancy, and 6 of 119 cases (5%) contained psammoma bodies. B oth cases of false positive peritoneal cytology and four of six with p sammoma bodies were associated with endometriosis. All cases were foll owed for a minimum of two years, and no patient had developed cancer. CONCLUSION: Peritoneal fluid from cases of benign gynecologic disorder s, especially endometriosis, can contain psammoma bodies and cells sug gestive of malignancy.