Ultrastructure of human breast carcinoma from a pleural effusion

The fluid aspirated from pleural effusion contains various cells including lymphocytes, polymorphonuclear leukocytes, macrophages, mesothelial cells, fibroblasts, and a few tumor cells in neoplastic patients. The cause of the effusion is often unknown and the tumoral component is often insufficient to make a certain cytologic diagnosis. We porpose that the cellular component should be analyzed ultrastructurally to characterize the cell hystotype. Furthermore, the few tumor cells present in the fluid can be plated in vitro for a short-term cell culture, offering a valid source of fresh living cells to study better the specific causes of the initial pleural effusion.