[Importance of impulse cytophotometry in the diagnosis and prognosis of prostate cancer]

Abstract

In 102 cases with hypertrophy and 73 patients with carcinoma of the prostate, all histologically proven, fine-needle biopsies were done and the obtained material investigated by conventional cytology as well as by flow-through cytophotometric determination of DNA content of the nuclei. In prostatic cancer the DNA determinations showed less diagnostic precision than conventional cytology. However as an additional diagnostic procedure the flow-through cytophotometry was able to improve the results of cytologic diagnostic for 10% in all cases with histologically proven cancer of all grades. In hypertrophy of prostate, the exclusion of carcinoma could be done by DNA determination with higher security than by conventional cytology. Flow-through cytophotometry is therefore considered a useful additional test in primary diagnostic and grading of prostatic cancer. In addition it is a method to evaluate the efficacy of drug therapy.