Cytologic and biologic studies of endometrioid carcinoma of the ovary.

The cytologic findings in an ovarian endometrioid carcinoma were investigated, and biologic characterization was performed. Cytologic findings from the ascitic fluid revealed characteristics of adenocarcinoma, such as fine cytoplasm, anisochromasia and prominent nucleoli; findings characteristic of endometrioid carcinoma of the ovary were not found, though a cluster of carcinoma cells on imprinted smears was similar to that of endometrial carcinoma cells. A morphologic comparison between the cells from the ascitic fluid and cells cultured from the ovarian endometrioid carcinoma showed their similarity. Biologic characterization showed a modal chromosome number of 103, a 74.4-hour population doubling time of the cell line and 0 plating efficiency. Heterotransplantation was achieved in one of the four hamsters (25%).