[Prognostic significance of cell kinetic parameters of endometrial cancer]

In 120 patients suffering from carcinoma of the endometrium of a wide variety of histological types, conventional clinical and morphological criteria of prognosis were compared with the DNA index (DI) and the S-phase fraction. The cellular kinetics parameters were obtained via flow cytophotometry. Adenocarcinomas (n = 101) were more frequently DNA diploid and had a lower S-phase share (less than 5%) than adenoacanthomas, clear-cell carcinomas and malignant Müller's mixed tumors. There are close correlations between the conventional prognostic factors such as FIGO stage, relative tumor invasion depth, grading and oestrogen or progesteron receptor content and the DNA content or S-phase fraction. Carcinomas with a DI less than or equal to 1.1 (n = 83) and the S-phase fraction less than 5% (n = 77), have a significantly longer survival time and recurrence-free interval than DNA-aneuploid tumors with a high S-phase fraction. The studies underline the need to use flow cytophotometry in the prognostic assessment of the carcinoma of the endometrium. The method is superior to histological grading, since the results obtained can be objectively assessed.