Relation of Peritoneal Cytology with Tumour Grade and Lymph Node Status in Gastric Carcinoma

Background: Gastric carcinoma remains a major global health concern, exhibiting diverse clinical presentations and prognostic outcomes. Peritoneal cytology serves as an important method for detecting microscopic peritoneal dissemination; however, its relationship with tumour characteristics in gastric carcinoma remains inadequately explored. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between peritoneal cytology with tumour grade, and lymph node status in patients with gastric carcinoma. Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted in the Department of General Surgery, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka, Bangladesh, from January 2023 to December 2023. This study included 28 patients with stomach cancer who underwent gastric surgery in the Department of General Surgery at BSMMU within study period. Results: The mean age of the study participants was 53.89 ± 13.11 years, with a male predominance (71.4%). The antrum was the most common site of tumour involvement (64.3%), followed by the body of the stomach (39.3%). On CT scan, intact perigastric fat planes were observed in 71.4% of cases, while lymph node enlargement was present in 39.3%. Subtotal gastrectomy was the most frequently performed procedure (57.1%). Peritoneal cytology positivity was found in 17.9% of cases and showed no significant association with either endoscopic or histopathological tumour grading. None of the Grade I tumours tested positive, while 12.5% of Grade II and 18.2% of Grade III tumours were cytology-positive. Metastatic lymph nodes were identified in 14 patients (66.7%), of whom only one showed positive peritoneal cytology. Conclusion: The study found no statistically significant association between peritoneal cytology positivity and either tumour grade or lymph node status. However, its higher prevalence in advanced tumour stages suggests that it may have a potential prognostic role in evaluating disease progression in gastric carcinoma.