Flow cytometry in cervical adenocarcinoma. Correlating DNA content analysis with the clinical picture
H G Kaspar1, T V Dinh, E V Hannigan
1Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77555-0587, USA.
Objective:
DNA quantitation by flow cytometry was used in this study to determine prognosis in stage I adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix with negative pelvic lymph nodes.
Study Design:
DNA content and proliferation index were determined by flow cytometry on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue from 29 patients with stage I, pelvic lymph node-negative adenocarcinoma of the cervix. Using Student's t test, the results were correlated with tumor recurrence after 57 +/- 8 months.
Results:
Diploid DNA content predominated (79%), whereas only 21% of the tumors were aneuploid. There was recurrence of the tumor in five cases (17%); two tumors were aneuploid, and three were euploid. The recurrence rate among the aneuploid population of 33% (2 of 6) was not statistically significant as compared to 13% (3 of 23) in the diploid population (P > .2). Similarly, the mean proliferation index (percentage in S plus G2/M phases) of the tumors in patients with recurrence was 13.7 +/- 3.68%, which was not significantly different from those that did not recur (mean 15.6 +/- 3.49%).
Conclusion:
DNA content analysis and proliferative activity do not predict recurrence in stage I, pelvic lymph node-negative adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix.
