Prognostic significance of DNA cytometry in combination with AgNOR investigation.
CONCLUSIONS
While most results concerning DNA and nucleolar organizer region (AgNOR) parameters fit with previous studies, the percentage of aneuploidy looks like a promising prognostic parameter. The observed intratumoral heterogeneity could represent a possible source of conflicting and inconsistent results.


OBJECTIVE
The aims of our study were to determine the prognostic relevance of different DNA and AgNOR parameters in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and compare these findings with established prognostic factors including tumor stage and grade, as well as the detection of possible intratumoral heterogeneity.


METHODS
Sections from 62 laryngeal SCCs were analyzed for DNA content, DNA index, S-phase, percentage of aneuploidy, and AgNOR. Of 62 samples, 31 morphologically similar tumor samples were analyzed for the same parameters in three different tumor areas defined as tumor center, invasive tumor margin, and transformation margin between tumor and normal-appearing mucosa.


RESULTS
Our study showed that DNA and AgNOR parameters correlated with T stage, lymph node involvement, and histologic grade regardless of tumor areas. Significant correlation was found between mean number of AgNOR per nucleus and percentage of aneuploidy. Clinical stage and percentage of aneuploidy correlated with survival (p<0.02). Heterogeneity DNA study revealed aneuploidy in central portions of 90% of tumors, while in margins aneuploidy was demonstrated in about half of the patients.
Coric
Marijana
M
Institute of Pathology, Medical School University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
Ladika-Davidovic
Blazenka
B
Bumber
Zeljko
Z
Danic
Davor
D
Vuletic
Lovorka Batelja
LB
Seiwerth
Sven
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000782:Aneuploidy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009697:Nucleolus Organizer Region / Q000473:pathology*; D016622:Silver Staining; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016019:Survival Analysis
D004247:DNA