Ploidy study in oral carcinomas: use of improved methodology to assess its clinical prognostic value
Daniel Brandizzi1, Hector Eduardo Lanfranchi, Rómulo L Cabrini
1Department of Oral Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina. brandizzi@cnea.gov.ar
Objective:
This study reports a ploidy analysis in oral squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) using methodologic adjustments to improve the accuracy of the measurements and derive numeric indices of aggressiveness of prognostic value.
Study Design:
Sixty-seven SCC were assessed by DNA image cytometry in the areas of the histologic sections with most atypia. Five indices of aggressiveness were analyzed in relation to the clinical-pathologic data and evolution of the patients.
Results:
The mean value of the index of deviation from the diploid value (2cDi) and malignancy index (Mi), taken as a cut-off value, defined 2 populations with statistically significant differences in survival. In patients with tumors in clinical stages III and IV (TNM classification), the Mi also exhibited prognostic value.
Conclusions:
The 2cDi and Mi can be used, under certain methodologic conditions, as an objective indicator of prognostic value of the degree of aggressiveness of oral SCC.
