[Flow cytometric analysis of DNA ploidy pattern in breast cancer: malignant potential and prognostic implication]

Flow cytometric DNA analysis in solid tumors has developed over the past ten years. In human breast cancer, flow cytometric analysis of DNA ploidy pattern recently reported were reviewed. There are conflicting data regarding the value of DNA ploidy pattern obtained by flow cytometric analysis for determining prognosis for breast cancer patients. Some data seem to indicate that S-phase fraction alone or in combination with DNA ploidy pattern may be more important prognostically than DNA ploidy pattern alone, although the results have not been uniform. These suggests that a consensus of determination for DNA ploidy pattern in breast cancer and further investigations on DNA ploidy pattern are required.