Relative prognostic significance of DNA flow cytometry and histologic grading in endometrial carcinoma

Flow cytometric analyses of the DNA content of neoplastic cells were performed in 60 cases of endometrial carcinoma using formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues. Each tumor was graded histologically prior to flow cytometry. Aneuploidy was found in almost half of the tumors, including those of moderate and high degrees of differentiation, although the poorly differentiated tumors were more commonly aneuploid. The cytometric and histologic results were then compared with prognosis (5-year survival). In general, survival was greater with diploid than with aneuploid tumors. With well-differentiated tumors, patients with both diploid and aneuploid lesions had a favorable prognosis, but with moderately and poorly differentiated tumors those with diploidy had a more favorable prognosis than those with aneuploidy. We conclude that flow cytometry is of principal prognostic value in poorly differentiated endometrial carcinomas.