title: Nuclear DNA content as an indicator of chemosensitivity in small-cell carcinoma of the lung.
abstract: The relationship between the nuclear DNA histogram pattern of tumor cells obtained by bronchoscopic brushing and the response to combination chemotherapy (Cytoxan + Adriamycin + Vincristine) was studied in 28 patients with small-cell carcinoma of the lung. Microspectrophotometric analysis of the tumor cells showed a near-diploid nuclear DNA pattern in 18 patients and a hyperdiploid pattern in 10 patients. Eight of the ten patients with the hyperdiploid pattern showed a good response (complete or partial response) to the chemotherapy. However, of the 18 patients with the near-diploid DNA pattern, only 2 displayed a good response; the remaining 16 patients exhibited no response. The hyperdiploid DNA pattern of tumor cells was thus associated with a better response to chemotherapy than was the near-diploid pattern. These results indicate that the nuclear DNA histogram pattern may be an indicator for predicting the degree of response to chemotherapy in small-cell carcinoma of the lung.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Internal Medicine, Hokkaido University, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tsuneta
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Makimura
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Itabashi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nagai
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawakami
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000032:analysis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000032:analysis; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D004171:Diploidy; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014750:Vincristine / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D014750:Vincristine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide