This is a preliminary report describing a simple cytological procedure in which a suction cannula was employed to establish a diagnosis of carcinoma of the nasopharynx. The suction cannula, to obtain cells for cytologic study, has found its greatest application in gynecological tumors. The simplicity of the aspiration technique prompted its trial for use in tumors of the nasopharynx.
The epithelium of the nose and throat has been made the subject of cytological study notably described in three recent reports. Morrison, Hopp, and Wu1 examined smears from 85 patients and found malignant cells in 7. Fitz-Hugh, Moon, and Lupton2 isolated 6 instances of malignant cells in antral washings from 72 patients. Friedmann,3 reporting from London, isolated malignant cells from 105 patients who were suspected of having malignant tumors. He employed ordinary cotton swabs for the nose and curved wool carriers for smears from the nasopharynx.
TECHNIQUE
With