DNA flow cytometry of colorectal carcinoma: correlation of DNA stemlines with other prognostic indices.
DNA flow cytometry (FCM) was performed on paraffin-embedded tissue blocks of 38 surgically resected colorectal carcinomas (CRC). Forty-seven percent of tumors exhibited aneuploidy and 53% were diploid. Seventy-two percent of patients in the aneuploid but only 35% in the diploid group were alive after a mean follow-up of 30.7 and 28.8 months (p = 0.01), and 5-yr survival of 56.7% and 11.7%, respectively (p less than 0.05). The site of tumor location, Dukes' stage, and serum CEA level did not predict a certain DNA stemline. However, irrespective of the ploidy pattern, a serum CEA level greater than 5.0 was associated with a higher mortality and poor 5-yr survival (p less than 0.005). Similarly, advanced Dukes' stage was associated with higher mortality (p less than 0.05). Forty-six percent of the patients with lesions that were Dukes' B2 or advanced stage received adjuvant therapy. Eighty-five percent of this subgroup of patients died; 18% of these patients had aneuploid tumors. The role of FCM in the assessment of prognosis of CRC deserves further clinical evaluation in a randomized control trial.
Bawani
M
M
Department of Medicine, University of Health Sciences, Chicago Medical School, Illinois.
Tibrewala
S
S
Copur
S
S
Harris
D
D
Gilman-Sachs
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000097:blood; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011003:Ploidies; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate
D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm