title: Exfoliative-cytologic diagnosis of basal-cell carcinoma, with the use of DNA image cytometry as a diagnostic aid.
abstract: Eighty-four skin lesions clinically suspected of being basal-cell carcinomas were investigated by exfoliative cytology. Specific criteria were found for the cytologic diagnosis of basal-cell carcinoma. All 37 cases of basal-cell carcinoma were correctly classified cytologically and could be differentiated from the 8 cases of squamous-cell carcinoma. There were no false-positive or false-negative diagnoses. Insufficient cellular material was obtained in 17% of the cases. The technique for collecting exfoliated epidermal cells with a new swab is described. DNA image cytometry was used as a diagnostic aid in doubtful cases. DNA image cytometry showed that 83% of the basal-cell carcinomas had an aneuploid nuclear DNA content.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Böcking
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schunck
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Auffermann
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D003581:Cytodiagnosis; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm