Cytogenetic and cytometric analyses in squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix.
Cytometric methods allow a division of tumors into a near-diploid and an aneuploid group. In most carcinomas, aneuploidy has been associated with poor prognosis, but as regards squamous cell carcinomas of the uterine cervix, the results are conflicting. The introduction of flow cytometry, a reliable and rapid method for determination of ploidy level and S-phase rate, has resulted in a renewed interest in cytometric studies of cervical carcinomas. In this article, DNA content, S-phase rate, and tumor heterogeneity are reviewed, as well as correlations found between DNA patterns and stage, age, menopause, differentiation, malignancy grading systems, ABH blood group antigens, and prognosis. In summary, aneuploidy is more common in stages III and IV and correlates to aggressive histopathology, but because of a higher degree of radioresponsiveness, the biological differences between aneuploid and near-diploid tumors are not consistently reflected in prognosis. High S-phase rates are correlated both to aggressive histopathology and impaired short-term prognosis.
Strang
P
P
Department of Oncology, Uppsala University, Sweden.
D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D002875:Chromosomes; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*