INTRAPULMONIC TUMOR-CELL DISSEMINATION AN D INTRAOPERATIVE PLEURAL LAVAGE AS PROGNOSTIC FACTORS IN LUNG-CANCER

319 patients with the first manifestation of lung cancer underwent int raoperative pleural lavage (lavage I=after opening the chest; lavage I I=after resection of lung cancer). Tumor cells were found in lavage I in 122 patients (38.2%), in 94 of them also in lavage II. In only 9 ca ses we found tumor cells in lavage II cytologically. The cumulative fi ve-year survival rate of non-small cell lung cancer in stage I (n=154) was 22.1% if lavage was positive (lavage I and II, n=44), and 64,3% i f lavage was negative (n=110) (p<0.05). Additionally, we performed tis sue cultures of tumor-free parenchyma in 23 cases of lung cancer. In 1 6 cases (69,6%) we detected tumor cells by histology and immunhistolog y. Intraoperative pleural lavage should be done when assessing the fin al tumor stage. A positive result should be added to the pTNM-classifi cation of lung cancer.