title: Prognosis of lymphoma from a fine-needle aspirate.
abstract: The prognostic value of S-phase fraction (SPF) determined by flow cytometry from a fine-needle aspirate was investigated in a prospective series of 52 non-Hodgkin lymphomas. The aspirates were drawn either at diagnosis (n = 16) or at lymphoma recurrence (n = 36). Patients with lymphoma with a large SPF (> 10%, n = 24) had only a 21% 3-year survival rate corrected for intercurrent deaths as calculated from the date of aspiration, whereas a smaller SPF was associated with a 71% 3-year survival rate (n = 28, P = 0.0009). SPF size also correlated with Working Formulation grading (P = 0.002). In a multivariate analysis the relative risk of death from lymphomas with a large SPF was 4.01 (1.60-10.1), whereas histological grading, age, and sex had no additional independent prognostic value. SPF determined from a fine needle aspirate had unexpectedly good prognostic value, and the result suggests that the method is of clinical importance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Turku University Central Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Joensuu
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Alanen
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Klemi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016196:S Phase; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm