DNA distribution patterns of prostatic tissue obtained at time of transurethral resection

One hundred fifty-seven patients with vesical outlet obstruction underwent transurethral prostatic resection with prostatic chips sent for routine histology and for flow cytometry (FCM) using a modification of the Vindelov technique. One hundred nine patients had benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) and 48 had adenocarcinoma. Using the criteria of 90 per cent G0-G1 cells and/or less than 10 per cent S + G2 + M cells as normal or benign, the false positive rate was 1 per cent (1/109), and the false negative rate was 12.5 per cent (6/48). The range of cells in G0-G1, for the BPH group was 89-98 per cent, mean 95 per cent, and for the carcinoma group 22-94 per cent, mean 74 per cent. The range of cells in the S + G2 + M compartment for the BPH group was 2-11 per cent, mean 7 per cent, and for the carcinoma group 6-78 per cent, mean 26 per cent. Only 4 cases had aneuploid stem cell lines. FCM measurements of single cell prostatic tissue suspensions are an accurate, objective means of quantifying nuclear DNA content and rate of cell proliferation. How useful this technique is or will be in predicting prognosis and determining therapy in a given individual remains to be determined.