Biological characteristics of HCC by ultrasound-guided aspiration biopsy and its clinical application

To probe the pathological biological characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by the ultrasound-guided aspiration biopsy and assess the clinical application value of this method.

The biopsy and DNA analysis by flow cytometry (FCM) were taken in 46 cases with HCC nodules, including 26 cases and 20 cases with nodules < or =3 cm and >3 cm in diameters respectively, and 12 cases with intrahepatic benign hyperplastic nodules. They were taken in 22 cases of 46 cases with HCC before and after the therapy. Fine-needles and automatic histological incised biopsy needles were used. The fresh biopsy tissue was produced into the single cell suspension, which was sent for DNA detection and ratio analysis of cell period. The ratio of each DNA period of cell proliferation of each group was calculated and compared with each other. The DNA aneuploid (AN) and apoptosis cell peak were observed and their percentages were calculated.

The ratios of S and G(2)/M periods of DNA, which reflect cell hyperproliferation, in the group with HCC tumors >3 cm in diameter were markedly higher than those of the group with HCC nodules < or =3 cm in diameter and the group with the benign hyperplastic nodules (P<0.01 except A:B of S period, P<0.05). The ratios of the middle group were also apparently higher than those of the latter group (P<0.01). The ratio of DNA AN of 46 cases with HCC nodules was 34.8 % (16/46). None of the cases with the intrahepatic hyperplastic nodules appeared AN. The DNA AN appeared more apparently with the growth of the tumors. The AN ratio of the group with tumors >3 cm in diameter was 55 % (11/20), markedly higher than that of the group with tumors < or =3 cm in diameter which was 19.2 % (5/26) (P<0.01). The FCM DNA analysis of 22 specimens of hepatic carcinoma tissue before therapy showed that the aneuploid peaks appeared in 5 cases (22.7 %). The ratio of G(1) period rose after therapy while the S period and G(2)/M ratios fell (P<0.01). The aneuploid peak disappeared in the 5 cases after the therapy, while the apoptosis peaks in 12 cases (54.5 %) appeared.

Addition to supply the information of the pathological morphology of the tumor, the ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration tissue could be sent for FCM DNA analysis to comprehend its pathological biological characteristics. This can not only provide the clinic the reliable information about the occurrence, development, diagnosis, curative effect and prognosis of tumors but also supply biological information for clinic to choose therapeutic schemes.