[Flow cytometric analysis of DNA ploidy in oral and pharyngeal carcinomas]

The DNA ploidy patterns of fresh specimens from 145 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity and the pharynx were analyzed. The specimens were embedded in paraffin and the DNA ploidy patterns were analyzed mainly by flow cytometry. Aneuploid patterns were found in 70%, and they were found more frequently in hypopharyngeal carcinomas than in oral cavity carcinomas. Correlation between DNA ploidy and tumor size was statistically significant but metastasis to lymph nodes and clinical stage were not correlated. In stage I and II oral cavity carcinomas and stage III and IV epi and oropharyngeal carcinomas, survival was much poorer in the aneuploid than in the diploid group. Analysis of 30 patients showed better response to preoperative chemotherapy in the aneuploid than in the diploid group; the mean efficacy rates were as high as 68% in the aneuploid and 48% in the diploid group. Aneuploidy with a low DNA index did not respond well to chemotherapy compared with those with a high DNA index. DNA heterogeneity was found in 22% (4/18) of the oral cavity carcinomas and in 50% (6/ 12) of the hypopharyngeal carcinomas.