Flow cytometric analysis of malignant pleural mesotheliomas.
Forty-six cases of malignant pleural mesothelioma were analyzed for histologic subtype, DNA content, and cell cycle characteristics. Sixty-five percent of cases were diploid in DNA content, with intermediate to low proliferative rates. Thirty-one nonmesothelial malignant neoplasms of the lung, of histologic types most easily confused with malignant mesothelioma, were also examined. In contrast to the mesotheliomas, 85% of these nonmesothelial malignant neoplasms of the lung were aneuploid; the aneuploid neoplasms exhibited higher mean proliferative rates (S = 10.6%) than diploid nonmesothelial neoplasms of the lung (S less than 6%). Unlike most malignant neoplasms, mesotheliomas most often display diploid DNA contents and low proliferative rates despite their clinically aggressive behavior.
Burmer
G C
GC
Department of Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle 98195.
Rabinovitch
P S
PS
Kulander
B G
BG
Rusch
V
V
McNutt
M A
MA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D004171:Diploidy; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*
D004247:DNA