[Significance of ploidy in prostatic cancer, quantified by a prospectively applicable procedure]

To determine the ploidy of prostatic adenocarcinoma cells obtained by fine-needle punction-aspiration biopsy using computer-assisted image analysis and its prognostic value.

The clinical applications of the two most commonly utilized methods, flow cytometry and cytophotometry, is difficult. The ploidy of prostatic adenocarcinoma cells obtained by fine-needle punction-aspiration biopsy in 54 patients was determined by image analysis. Previous cytological preparations from our files were utilized in the present study. Before processing the preparations, the Papanicolau stain used originally was removed. To make the technique simpler, we did not use the Feulgen stain but the progressive hematoxylin stain, which is faster and easier to use. The representative ploidy histograms were classified into four types first and then into two grades of DNA malignancy. The survival curves were plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method and according to the ploidy.

Patients with high grade DNA malignancy had a worse survival rate than those with low grade malignancy. Statistical analysis using the log-rank test showed a significant difference, with p < 0.001.

Tumor ploidy in prostate cancer can be determined prospectively using cytological smears with progressive hematoxylin staining and has a prognostic value.