DNA content of parathyroid tumors.
BACKGROUND
The significance of DNA ploidy in indicating the benign or malignant character of parathyroid and other endocrin tumors is controversial.


METHODS
DNA content of paraffin embedded parathyroid samples from 25 patients was measured with flow cytometry.


RESULTS
The DNA index (DI) was 1.0 in all nonneoplastic samples as well as in 50% of adenomas (10/20) and in one carcinoma (1/2). The remaining 45% of the adenoma cases (9/20) and the other carcinoma showed doubled DNA content (DI = 1.9-2.0). The increased DI did not correlate with either clinical data (sex, age, tumor size, preoperative serum Ca++ or parathormone, primary or secondary hyperparathyroidism) or morphology.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that the DI has no value in deciding the benign or malignant character of a given sample. However, the prognostic value of tetraploidization (the potentially increased risk for malignancy) could not be ruled out.
Ist Institute Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research, Semmelweis University of Medicine, Budapest, Hungary.
J
J
Bocsi
F
F
Perner
J
J
Szücs
E
E
Glaz
L
L
Kopper
D000236:Adenoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D004171:Diploidy; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010282:Parathyroid Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology
D004273:DNA, Neoplasm