Flow cytometric analysis of DNA content and proliferation and immunohistochemical staining of Ki-67 in non-small cell lung cancer.
BACKGROUND
The aim of our study was to examine the significance of tumour DNA-content and proliferation in lung cancer.


METHODS
The DNA content and S-phase fraction (SPF) was determined by flow cytometry in 125 resected tumours of patients with non-small cell lung cancer. In 40 cases we compared the SPF with immunohistochemical staining of the Ki-67 protein using MIB-1 antibody.


RESULTS
DNA aneuploidy was detected in 84.8% (106/125). Cell cycle analysis for the determination of proliferation activity was only possible in 69 (55.2%) cases. An SPF of 0-8% as a sign of low proliferation was found in 27 specimens. In advanced tumours at stage III and IV the proportion of tumours with SPF 9-16% was significantly (p<0.05) increased as compared to tumours at stage I and II. There was a significant correlation (p=0.012, ascent: 0.045) between SPF and MIB-1. Patients with aneuploid tumours had a relative risk of 1.4 to die earlier than patients with diploid tumours. Patients with SPF of 9-16% in the tumour tended to decreased survival (5-year survival rate: 29%) in correlation to patients with a percentage of SPF 0-8% (5-year survival rate: 38%, p=0.5). These differences were significant (p=0.048) in patients with adenocarcinomas only. In the multivariate COX-regression model age (p=0.03) and stage (p=0.0001) were significant prognostic factors, ploidy state (p=0.33) was of no prognostic significance.


CONCLUSIONS
Flow cytometry seems to be a useful method for understanding the clinical behaviour of lung cancer. Especially the SPF in adenocarcinomas may be used as a prognostic indicator.
Hofmann
H S
HS
Department of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, E.-Grube Strasse 40, 06097 Halle, Germany.
Knolle
J
J
Bahn
H
H
Klapperstück
T
T
Lautenschläger
C
C
Neef
H
H
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000782:Aneuploidy; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D002453:Cell Cycle; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000032:analysis*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015996:Survival Rate
D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen