Flow cytometric DNA content and clinical outcome in patients with non-small cell lung cancer given postoperative radiation therapy.
DNA content by flow cytometry was assessed in 47 cases from a series of 130 patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) given radiation therapy postoperatively. This was done in an attempt to identify which patients might benefit, or not benefit, from postoperative radiotherapy. From archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens, 16 of the 47 cases (34%) had DNA diploid tumors while 31 cases (66%) were nondiploid. A diploid DNA content was significantly related to improved overall survival (P = 0.0061) and tumor-free survival (P = 0.0167) but not with frequency of tumor recurrence within the irradiated field. Histological grade was not significantly related to overall survival, tumor-free survival, or frequency of in-field tumor recurrence. DNA content was found in this study of NSCLC patients irradiated postoperatively to be a useful marker for predicting survival but not for predicting local recurrence.
Department of Radiation Oncology and Biophysics, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk 23507.
J
J
Yu
J
J
Shaeffer
A
A
Zhu
D A
DA
Kuban
A M
AM
el-Mahdi
C B
CB
Philput
D000206:Actuarial Analysis; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000782:Aneuploidy; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D011013:Pneumonectomy; D011882:Radiotherapy, High-Energy; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D004273:DNA, Neoplasm