Short-term significance of DNA ploidy and cell proliferation in breast carcinoma: a multivariate analysis of prognostic markers in a series of 308 patients.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the importance of tumour DNA ploidy and cell proliferation, as measured by the S phase fraction (SPF), in relation to other established clinicopathological indicators of prognosis in breast cancer.


METHODS
A prospective study of 308 patients. Tumours were staged following the TNM system criteria and were classified according to the histological type and grade. DNA flow cytometry was performed on fresh/frozen samples stained with propidium iodide. Hormone receptors were analyzed by immunocytochemistry. A Cox proportional hazards regression model was used for statistical evaluation of the prognostic factors.


RESULTS
Median follow up time was 39.6 months (range 3 to 84). A DNA diploid pattern was found in 134 tumours (43.5%) and aneuploid in 174 (56.5%). Median SPF value was 6.1% (range 1% to 27.8%). DNA ploidy and SPF were strongly correlated (p < 0.001), and both were related to histological type (p < 0.001), grade of differentiation (p < 0.001), tumour size (p = 0.006 and p = 0.002), and hormone receptor activity (p < 0.001). DNA ploidy was also related to node status (p = 0.022), but SPF was not. In univariate analysis, there were significant correlations between disease-free survival and age, histological grade, tumour size, node status, DNA ploidy, SPF, and hormone receptor activity; age, tumour size, node status, DNA ploidy, and hormone receptors were predictors of overall survival. In multivariate analysis, only node status (p = 0.001) and DNA ploidy (p = 0.006) retained independent prognostic significance in relation with overall survival, while node status (p < 0.001) and SPF (p < 0.001) were predictors of disease-free survival. DNA ploidy and SPF continued to predict disease-free and overall survival in lymph node positive (pN1) patients but not in the lymph node negative (pN0) group.


CONCLUSIONS
DNA ploidy and SPF are strongly intercorrelated and have independent prognostic value for predicting the short term clinical outcome of breast carcinoma patients.
Pinto
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AE
Departamento de Patologia Morfológica, Instituto Português de Oncologia Francisco Gentil, Lisboa, Portugal.
André
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S
Soares
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002455:Cell Division; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011003:Ploidies; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D015996:Survival Rate
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone