title: Prognostic value of mitotic metaphase rate in oesophageal cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the prognostic value of the mitotic metaphase rate in patients with oesophageal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University hospital, Japan.
  
  
  METHODS
  41 patients with oesophageal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  We calculated the ratio of mitotic metaphase to anaphase cells among tumour cells in sections stained with haematoxylin and eosin, a ratio that shows the status of mitotic metaphase-anaphase transition. The DNA ploidy pattern was examined by flow cytometry.
  
  
  METHODS
  Correlation between survival and mitotic metaphase rate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A high mitotic metaphase rate was correlated with vascular invasion and is expected to be a useful prognostic factor. DNA diploidy combined with a low rate was an independent favorable prognostic factor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mitotic metaphase rate is a useful index of malignant potential, independent of DNA ploidy. It can distinguish high malignant potential from low in a diploid tumour, which has a poor prognosis that is equal to that of the aneuploidy tumour.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Kumamoto University, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yasunaga
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tabira
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Imaoka
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kitamura
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000705:Anaphase; D000782:Aneuploidy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D004171:Diploidy; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008677:Metaphase / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008940:Mitotic Index; D009154:Mutation; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D005819:Genetic Markers