[Role of lymph node cytopuncture in the evaluation of cancers of the prostate and bladder].

Lack of reliability of lymphography and morbidity associated with lymphadenectomy lead authors to use lymph node puncture-cytology in assessment of the state of the pelvic nodes in evaluating carcinomas of the bladder and prostate. 38 patients were thus investigated (21 CA prostate and 17 bladder tumours). In 83% of cases the material collected was uninterpretable. Proof of a lymph node metastasis was obtained in 15 cases. 23 cases were further evaluated at surgery, confirming the absence of false positives. 3 false negatives would raise the question of the limitations of the method. The absence of complications would appear to justify this harmless method, with the potential of increasing its reliability by puncture of the majority of opacified nodes regardless of their radiological appearance.