Flow cytometric analysis of uterine sarcomas

Eighty-four women with sarcoma uteri were evaluated on the basis of histopathological examination findings. In 45 of the 84 cases, a flow cytometric measure of DNA content and S-phase fraction was performed. Thirty-seven cases of the 45 were available for estimation of S-phase fraction. The histopathologic examination of paraffin-embedded tumor tissue revealed 44% leiomyosarcomas, 25% homologous mixed mullerian tumors, 17% endometrial stromacell sarcomas, 7% heterologous mixed müllerian tumors, 1% rhabdomyosarcomas, and 6% unclassified sarcomas. Eighty-six percent of the tumors were aneuploid, 14% were peridiploid, and the 5-year survivals were 20 and 60%, respectively. Clinical stage and lymphocytic reaction were found to be good prognostic parameters. Multivariate analysis of 5-year survival adjusted for age at menopause, clinical stage, mitotic frequency, lymphocytic response, and S-phase fraction did not give any further significant prognostic factors.