[The objective comparison of nuclear DNA content with nuclear grade in breast cancer]

Relationship between nuclear DNA contents and nuclear grade was investigated objectively in 76 invasive ductal breast cancer patients. DNA ploidy and S-phase fraction (SPF) were determined by flow cytometry in fresh frozen specimens. Nuclear grade was evaluated objectively as nuclear area (NA) or coefficiency variant of NA (NA.CV) calculated from morphmeter on H-E stained imprint preparation and needle aspiration smear preparation. NA and NA.CV on each preparation of aneuploid tumors (38) were significantly higher than those of diploid tumors (36). No correlation between NA and SPF was found in both diploid and aneuploid tumors. SPF was related to NA.CV on each preparation only in aneuploid tumors. NA and NA.CV on needle aspiration smear preparation had good relationship to those on H-E stained imprint preparation. These results demonstrated that NA and NA.CV on each preparation reflect DNA contents more objectively and suggested that needle aspiration smear might be useful to estimate the biological malignancies for selection of operative method and decision of neoadjuvant therapy.