title: Nuclear DNA measurements of metastatic melanoma by a computerized digital imaging system.
abstract: To determine the extent of nuclear DNA abnormalities and their relationship with prognosis of stage II malignant melanoma, metastatic melanomas in lymphadenectomy specimens of 22 patients were studied by a computerized digital imaging system. The DNA ploidy pattern was aneuploid in 86% of the cases and tetraploid in the remaining 14%. In metastatic melanomas, there was a single clone in one third of patients and multiple clones in the remaining two thirds. Poor survival rate was associated with multiple clones and greater than 30% of mean coefficient of variation of DNA content. With tumor progression stem-cell lines often became heterogeneous with the development of multiple clones and widespread DNA values. These abnormalities, determined by nuclear DNA ploidy analysis, provide useful prognostic information.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of California-Los Angeles School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Q S
authors.initials: QS
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Y S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Cochran
mesh_terms: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted; D006801:Humans; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000235:genetics*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008545:Melanoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000556:secondary; D012878:Skin Neoplasms
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm