title: Prognostic value of DNA flow cytometry in sympathoadrenal paragangliomas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether ploidy patterns are related to prognosis in sympathoadrenal paragangliomas (SAP) using flow cytometry.
  
  
  METHODS
  DNA flow cytometric analysis of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor samples from 36 patients with SAP was performed. Eight cases fulfilled at least one of the following malignancy criteria: (1) extensive invasion of adjacent structures (5 cases), (2) local recurrence (3 cases), or (3) metastases (4 cases).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 36 tumors, 22 (61%) showed nondiploid patterns (12 aneuploid, 10 tetraploid). All diploid tumors were benign, while all malignant cases showed nondiploid patterns (P = .0131). The differences between diploid and aneuploid tumors and between diploid and tetraploid tumors, with regard to the malignancy of the disease, were statistically significant (P = .03311 and .01976, respectively). Only one malignant tumor had a DNA index < 1.75 (P = .00259).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anomalous DNA ploidy patterns are frequent in SAP, without necessarily implying malignancy. However, diploid DNA content may be a marker of a good prognosis. The likelihood of malignancy is greater in the tetraploid and peritetraploid range.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University Hospital Virgen Macarena, Seville, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: García-Escudero
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Miguel-Rodríguez
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moreno-Fernández
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Navarro-Bustos
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Galera-Ruiz
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Galera-Davidson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D000782:Aneuploidy; D002648:Child; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm