Flow cytometry in cervical adenocarcinoma. Correlating DNA content analysis with the clinical picture.
OBJECTIVE
DNA quantitation by flow cytometry was used in this study to determine prognosis in stage I adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix with negative pelvic lymph nodes.


METHODS
DNA content and proliferation index were determined by flow cytometry on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue from 29 patients with stage I, pelvic lymph node-negative adenocarcinoma of the cervix. Using Student's t test, the results were correlated with tumor recurrence after 57 +/- 8 months.


RESULTS
Diploid DNA content predominated (79%), whereas only 21% of the tumors were aneuploid. There was recurrence of the tumor in five cases (17%); two tumors were aneuploid, and three were euploid. The recurrence rate among the aneuploid population of 33% (2 of 6) was not statistically significant as compared to 13% (3 of 23) in the diploid population (P > .2). Similarly, the mean proliferation index (percentage in S plus G2/M phases) of the tumors in patients with recurrence was 13.7 +/- 3.68%, which was not significantly different from those that did not recur (mean 15.6 +/- 3.49%).


CONCLUSIONS
DNA content analysis and proliferative activity do not predict recurrence in stage I, pelvic lymph node-negative adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix.
Kaspar
H G
HG
Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77555-0587, USA.
Dinh
T V
TV
Hannigan
E V
EV
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002455:Cell Division; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D011379:Prognosis; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology
D004273:DNA, Neoplasm