Flow cytometric quantitation of natural killer cells and T lymphocytes expressing T‐cell receptors alpha/beta and gamma/delta is not helpful in distinguishing benign from malignant body cavity effusions

Quantitation of natural killer (NK) cells in benign and malignant effusions has yielded conflicting results in the past. Studies have claimed higher, lower, and essentially equal percentages of NK cells for benign and malignant effusions. In addition, virtually no literature exists on the numbers and distribution of T lymphocytes expressing T‐cell receptor alpha/beta (TCR α/β) and T‐cell receptor gamma/delta (TCR γ/δ) in body effusions.