Evaluation of breast carcinoma chemosensitivity by flow cytometric DNA analysis and computer assisted image analysis

Flow cytometric (FCM) DNA and S-Phase (S%) analyses were compared to computerized image analysis (SAMBA 2005) in 27 breast carcinomas (T3, N0-N1, M0) treated by 3 cycles of preoperative Adriamycin, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil (AVCMF) chemotherapy (CT). Twelve carcinomas had shown objective regression and 15 no regression. Samples studied were obtained by sequential fine-needle cytopunctures. Comparing DNA profiles obtained by both methods before and after the first cycle, it appears that tumors can be divided into 3 groups. In the first group (10 cases), no changes were observed after the first cycle of CT. These tumors before treatment had either single DNA peak without cells in S% and G2M or a major peak with a small S% and G2M peak. The second group (9 cases) showed some changes in DNA profiles with an increased G2M peak but no additional values; these tumors before treatment had a small S% and a G2M peak. In the third group (8 cases), before treatment, all were non-diploid with high S% and high G2M. After the first cycle, all showed obvious changes in DNA profiles with a decrease of the G0/G1 peak and an increased S% and G2M with dispersed additional values along the scale in (G2M) x 2 and (G2M) x 4 regions. When changes were compared to tumor regression in the 1st and 2nd groups, 1/10 and 3/9 cases, respectively, were evaluated as objective regression. In the third group, all had objective regression (p less than 0.001). In most cases, a good correlation was observed with both methods.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)