Ploidy status and the response of T1 glottic carcinoma to radiotherapy

Flow cytometric DNA ploidy measurements were performed on formalin fixed paraffin embedded tumour specimens from patients with a T1 glottic laryngeal carcinoma in order to evaluate the role of DNA content in relation to local control. From 1980 to 1987, a consecutive series of 90 patients with a T1 glottic laryngeal carcinoma were treated by radiotherapy with curative intent. Biopsies from 44 of these patients were readily available for DNA flow cytometry. In this group aneuploidy was associated with a significantly higher risk (P = 0.018) of local recurrence within 2 years after completion of radiotherapy (38% vs. 9% in the diploid group).