[Current possibilities of cytological assay in the study of pleural and peritoneal exudates].

Serous exudates were studied by immunoperoxidase and immunofluorescence immunocytochemical assays and by laser flow cytofluorimetry. The current high-tech techniques detect sparse tumor complexes in the exudates at the early metastatic stages, which are undetectable by the routine cytological assay, and also reduce the hyperdiagnosis of the tumor process. The use of a set of immunocytochemical markers can specify the source of metastatic spread when the primary tumor focus is not found. Fluorescence immunocytochemistry of the exudates has been shown to be highly effective and rapid during emergency intraoperative studies to clarify the extent of the tumor process.