[Prognostic implications of the ploidy pattern of the nuclear DNA in hepatocellular carcinomas]

The nuclear DNA contents of paraffin-embedded specimens of 41 cases of a hepatocellular carcinoma have been measured by means of flow cytometry. Results have indicated that 25 cases (61%) were diploid and 16 cases (39%) were aneuploid. In the aneuploid cases, the serum AFP level was found to be higher and stage more advanced. We also found that patients with aneuploid tumors had a poorer prognosis than those with diploid tumors, this fact uncovered by means of a Cox's proportional hazard model. In conclusion, the ploidy pattern of the nuclear DNA may serve as a useful prognostic marker for a hepatocellular carcinoma.