title: Flow cytometric analysis of DNA ploidy level in paraffin-embedded tissue of non-small-cell lung cancer.
abstract: Investigations regarding the prognostic value of DNA content (ploidy) and proliferative characteristics [percentage of cells in S-phase or S-phase fraction (SPF)] have been greatly facilitated by the application of flow cytometry (FCM) using nuclei isolated from paraffin-embedded tissue. We have applied this technique to tumor sections from patients presenting with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in 1980 and 1981. From 67 out of 115 patients material of sufficient quantity and quality was obtained to perform DNA-FCM. A multivariate analysis including stage of disease (UICC), age, tumor histology and treatment modality was performed to examine the prognostic significance of DNA-FCM in NSCLC. Aneuploidy was found in 65% of cases. In our study, the DNA content was not related to histology, stage of disease or treatment modality, nor to the length of survival (log rank test P = 0.62). Calculation of SPF was possible in 49/67 cases. The SPF was not related to histology, stage of disease or treatment modality, but a significant prognostic value was found for survival; patients with a high SPF died earlier (P = 0.04) and this was especially true for squamous cell carcinoma (P = 0.02). This study demonstrates the prognostic importance of DNA-FCM-derived information in NSCLC using a multivariate analysis; however further prospective studies in larger patient populations are needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pneumology, State University of Limburg, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: ten Velde
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schutte
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vermeulen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Volovics
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Reynders
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Blijham
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000032:analysis; D000782:Aneuploidy; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000032:analysis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000032:analysis; D002452:Cell Count; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007399:Interphase; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm