[The experience in the use of DNA flow cytometry to predict the natural history of malignant neoplasms]

Abstract

The aim is to study the pattern of a cell population (ploidy) and to evaluate the latter's significance in the prognosis of different carcinomas. A total of 467 patients with primary carcinomas of the breast (n = 177), lung (n = 88), head and neck (n = 140), and colon and rectum (n = 62) were examined. All the patients underwent surgery alone or in combination with radiotherapy (X-ray)/chemotherapy. A follow-up lasted 6 to 120 months. DNA was measured in the operative tumor tissue specimens by using an ICP-22 flow cytometer. Diploid and aneuploid cancers occurred in 20.4-53.6 and 43.6-79.6% of cases, respectively. The frequency of recurrences was mainly associated with aneuploidy and it was more than thrice higher than that with diploidy (21.0-43.2 versus 4.5-14.4%). Five-year survival was twice worse in patients with aneuploid tumors than in those with diploid ones. The survival rates after one operation, preoperative, and postoperative radiation therapy was greater in patients with diploid tumors than in patients with aneuploid ones. Thus, DNA-ploidy of the study neoplasms is of high informative value in predicting the course of a tumorous process and in choosing treatment policy on an individual basis.