The identification of informative parameters in the flow cytometric analysis of breast carcinoma

DNA ploidy and the measurement of proliferation or S-phase fraction are both of prognostic significance in breast cancer, yet clinical use is minimal in the U.K. Immunohistochemistry is, however, used to aid diagnosis, so a panel of antibodies were analysed by flow cytometry to assess their predictive value for prognosis, tumour stage and grade. Of 10 parameters tested on 202 breast tumour samples, tumour cell proliferation and DNA ploidy were the two most informative; cytokeratin staining, natural killer and B-cell infiltration also proved to be of value but there was no prognostic value in measuring tumour infiltrating monocytes, helper/suppressor T-cell ratios, tumour cell reactivity with carcinoembryonic antigen or human milk fat globulin antibodies. For each of the informative parameters, scores numerically weighted towards a poorer prognosis were derived which when combined, correlated with tumour grade, stage and prognosis. Such data interpretation is objective, and can be transposed to other human tumours.