[DNA ploidy in gastric precancerous lesions]

A study on DNA ploidy by flow cytometry was carried out on human gastric tissues with normal mucosa, chronic atrophic gastritis, varying grades of gastric dysplasia or early carcinoma. The results showed that no DNA aneuploidy was found in all 8 cases with normal mucosa, 13 cases with chronic atrophic gastritis, and 18 cases with grade I gastric dysplasia. DNA aneuploidy was found in 2 among 19 cases with grade II gastric dysplasia, in 8 among 14 cases with grade III gastric dysplasia, and in all 12 cases with early gastric cancer. There was significant differences in DNA index and S% phase cells from cases with gastric dysplasia of varying grades. The findings indicate that DNA aneuploidy might be a marker of malignant change of gastric precancerous lesions.