The relationship between DNA content, clinicopathology and prognosis in enteropancreatic carcinoids.
OBJECTIVE
The clinical behavior of carcinoid tumors is sometimes difficult to determine from their histological appearance. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether the DNA distribution pattern seen in carcinoid tumors can be correlated with histopathological parameters and the patient's clinical course and prognosis.


METHODS
The paraffin-embedded material of 44 enteropancreatic tumors underwent deparaffinization, was rehydrated, and mechanically and enzymatically processed into a single cell solution. For evaluation of the DNA histogram, analysis was performed with the help of an automatic single cell cytophotometric study.


RESULTS
A correlation was seen between the DNA content and tumor stage (p = 0.01), radicalness of surgery (p = 0.03), tumor localization (p = 0.02) and patient's age (p = 0.05). In univariate analysis, patient's age (p = 0.04), tumor localization (p = 0.03), tumor stage (p = 0.0001), radicalness of surgery (p = 0.0006) and DNA content (p = 0.01) influenced prognosis. In multivariate analysis including these parameters, only tumor stage had an independent influence on prognosis.


CONCLUSIONS
The clinical relevance of DNA measurement in carcinoid tumors is still unknown.
Böttger
T C
TC
Department of Surgery, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz.
Küchle
R
R
Jung
O
O
Heintz
A
A
Kirkpatrick
C J
CJ
Junginger
T
T
D000328:Adult; D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007414:Intestinal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D011003:Ploidies; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models
D004273:DNA, Neoplasm