[Evaluation of the malignancy of breast carcinoma using flow cytometry]

Flow cytometric DNA analyses of single cell nuclei were performed on nuclear suspensions prepared from tumors of primary breast carcinomas in 40 patients operated on in our hospital. Fluorescence intensities of propidium-iodide stained cell nuclei were analyzed in a SHOWA DENKO SC-20 cell sorter. The DNA index and the percentage of S-phase cells and DNA aneuploidy were calculated from each DNA histogram. There was a tendency for more advanced nodal tumor involvement to have a higher DNA index, increasing DNA aneuploidy proportions and significantly larger percent of S-phase cells.