DNA ploidy analysis of endometrial adenocarcinoma using a flow cytometry from paraffin-embedded tissues

In this study, DNA ploidy using a flow cytometry from paraffin-embedded tissues was evaluated to establish the DNA heterogeneity and risk factor of endometrial adenocarcinoma. Seventy-six samples from 31 patients with endometrial adenocarcinoma and 6 controls with normal endometrium were measured for DNA content. DNA ploidy of endometrial adenocarcinoma was also analyzed in three different sites of a tumor, viz. (1) the primary endometrial lesion, (2) the site of myometrial invasion and, (3) metastatic lesions. In over 22% of 27 patients with endometrial adenocarcinoma, intratumor variations in DNA ploidy were demonstrated of a different sites of a tumor. It was found that all 6 controls with normal endometrium were diploid, while 28.6% of 70 samples of endometrial adenocarcinoma had aneuploid tumors. Poorly differentiated tumors had a significantly higher incidence of aneuploidy than well or moderately differentiated tumors. DNA ploidy was related to the surgical stage and histological grade, although it was not indicated that DNA ploidy has reliable prognostic value for endometrial adenocarcinoma. It was suggested that the myometrial invasion of endometrial adenocarcinoma is not an important factor in DNA content heterogeneity, because the incidence of aneuploidy in three different sites of a tumor was as follows: myometrial invasion less than primary endometrial lesion less than metastatic lesions.