[Image analysis DNA cytometry in medullary thyroid gland cancer. Comparison with histomorphologic parameters and...

In 24 patients with a medullary thyroid cancer a histopathological reexamination was performed. In 16 patients the DNA content was measured. Patients with a diploid or hypotriploid tumor had a 5-year survival rate of 100% in contrast to 48% of patients with a triploid or hypertriploid aneuploid tumor. Aneuploid tumors were more often found in patients with a high pre- or postoperative calcitonin level and lymph node metastasis. No correlation was found between the DNA content and the patients age, sex, preoperative CEA value, tumor size, pT4 stage, invasion of vessels calcitonin immunoreactivity, silver or amyloid staining, and distant metastasis.