[Cytological and cytochemical characteristics of the metastases of undifferentiated cancer to the lymph nodes].

Cytologic assay of metastatic involvement of lymph nodes may be used along with histological studies as a reliable adjunct for morphological diagnosis, that makes possible in many cases to determine not only the epithelial origin of the affection but also to characterize its histological pattern. However, the cytologic diagnosis of undifferentiated cancer metastases is frequently rather difficult in relation to establishing the differential diagnosis between the former and other affections of lymph nodes. A careful, and sometimes repeated analysis of the material, taking into account the clinical data and cytochemical findings, contributes to greater efficiency of a cytologic method. The perspective use of cytochemical reactions as additional criteria for the diagnosis of undifferentiated cancer necessitates their further elaboration and study.