Flow cytometric analysis of the DNA content of thymomas.
In this study, the prognostic value of determining the nuclear DNA content of thymomas by flow cytometry was evaluated. Of a total 31 resected thymomas, 10 (32%) showed DNA aneuploidy, the presence of which was significantly correlated with an advanced clinical stage of disease. The patients with an aneuploid tumor had a poorer prognosis than those with a diploid tumor, demonstrating a survival rate of 50% at 7 postoperative years, which was considerably less favorable than that of the patients with a diploid tumor, being 100% in the same period (p < 0.05). Moreover, patients with a high DNA index (DI), i.e., a DI >or= 1.5, tended to have a poorer prognosis than those with a low DI. These findings indicated that the DNA content can be an important prognostic index in patients with thymomas.
Kushibe
K
K
Third Department of Surgery, Nara Medical College, Japan.
Iioka
S
S
Nezu
K
K
Tojo
T
T
Sawabata
N
N
Kitamura
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000782:Aneuploidy; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D004171:Diploidy; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D013945:Thymoma / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology
D004273:DNA, Neoplasm