title: Histopathological grading and DNA ploidy as prognostic markers in metastatic prostatic cancer.
abstract: The present study compares the prognostic potential of tumour grade and DNA ploidy status in patients with advanced-stage prostatic cancer. Two outcome groups were selected on the basis of time to progression and survival after orchiectomy. A poor-outcome group consisted of 32 therapy-resistant patients who experienced disease progression during the first year after orchiectomy and subsequently death due to prostatic cancer during the following year. A good-outcome group consisted of 27 therapy-responsive patients who showed disease regression and no signs of progression during a 3 year follow-up. The primary tumours were graded twice according to WHO and Gleason classification systems by two pathologists. Final agreement between the pathologists was obtained after a consensus meeting. The analysis revealed no prognostic importance of the two histological classification systems (P = 0.62 and P = 0.70) and disclosed weak inter- and intra-observer reproducibility (kappa < 0.70). DNA ploidy analyses were performed by image cytometry on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples of the primary tumours. Overall, 48% of the tumours were diploid, 20% tetraploid and 32% anueploid. DNA ploidy status did not discriminate between the two outcome groups (P = 0.46). Histological grade and DNA ploidy showed no prognostic importance in patients with prostatic cancer and skeletal metastases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jørgensen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yogesan
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Skjørten
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berner
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Tveter
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Danielsen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D011003:Ploidies; D011379:Prognosis; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm