Abstract
The prognostic value of DNA ploidy status was evaluated prospectively in 70 patients with colorectal carcinoma. Cellular DNA content was measured by flow cytometry from fresh specimens with multiple site sampling. Seventy-five percent of cases exhibited a DNA aneuploid pattern. In a univariate analysis, DNA ploidy status showed a statistically significant correlation with survival (p<0.05), weaker than Dukes' stage (p<0.001). No correlation was observed between survival and presence of multiple DNA stemlines. In a multivariate analysis. Dukes' stage was the strongest prognostic indicator (p=0.01) while DNA ploidy status did not show an independent prognostic value. It is concluded that DNA ploidy status is associated with pathological features of aggressive malignancy, but it does not have a determinant role in predicting survival.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Friedlander ML, Hedley WD, Taylor IW (1984) Clinical and biological significance of aneuploidy in human tumors. J Clin Pathol 37:961–974
Wolley RC, Schreiber K, Koss LG, Karas M, Sherman A (1982) DNA distribution in human colon carcinomas and its relationship to clinical behavior. J Nat Cancer Inst 69:15–22
Armitage NC, Robins RA, Evans DF, Turner DR, Baldwin RW, Hardcastle JD (1985) The influence of tumour cell DNA abnormalities on survival in colorectal cancer. Br J Surg 72:828–830
Scott NA, Rainwater LM, Wieand HS, Weiland LH, Pemberton JH, Beart Jr RH, Lieber MM (1987) The relative prognostic value of flow cytometric DNA analysis and conventional clinicopathologic criteria in patients with operable rectal carcinoma. Dis Col Rect 30:513–520
Quirke P, Dixon MF, Clayden AD, Durdey P, Dyson JED, Williams NS, Bird CC (1987) Prognostic significance of DNA aneuploidy and cell proliferation in rectal adenocarcinomas. J Pathol 151:285–291
Kokal WA, Gardine RL, Sheibani K, Morris PL, Prager E, Zak IV, Terz JJ (1989) Tumor DNA content in resectable, primary colorectal carcinoma. Ann Surg 209:188–193
Melamed MR, Enker WE, Banner P, Janov AJ, Kessler G, Darzynkiewicz Z (1986) Flow cytometry of colorectal carcinoma with three-year follow-up. Dis Col Rect 29:184–186
Rognum TO, Thoru E, Lund E (1986) Clinical behaviour in large bowel carcinoma patients with different DNA ploidy pattern. 14th International Cancer Congress, Budapest, Abstract 2439
Jones DA, Moore M, Schofield PF (1988) Prognostic significance of DNA ploidy in colorectal cancer: a prospective flow cytometry study. Br J Surg 75:28–33
Banner BF, Tomas-De La Vega JE, Roseman DL, Coon JS (1985) Should flow cytometric DNA analysis precede definitive surgery for colon carcinoma? Ann Surg 202:740–744
Hiddemann W, von Bassewitz DB, Kleinemeier HJ, Schulte-Brochterbeck E, Hauss J, Lingemann B, Büchner T, Grundmann E (1986) DNA stemline heterogeneity in colorectal cancer. Cancer 58:258–263
Frankfurt OS, Arbuck SG, Chin JL, Greco WR, Pavelic ZP, Slocum HK, Mittelman A, Piver SN, Pontes EJ, Rustum YM (1986) Prognostic applications of DNA flow cytometry for human solid tumors. In: Andreeff M (ed) Clinical cytometry. Ann NY Acad Sci 468:276–290
Hedley DW (1989) Flow cytometry using paraffin-embedded tissue: five years on. Cytometry 10:229–241
Petersen SE, Bichel P, Lorentzen M (1978) Flow-cytometric demonstration of tumor-cell subpopulations with different DNA content in human colo-rectal carcinoma. Eur J Cancer 15:383–386
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Schillaci, A., Tirindelli, D.D., Ferri, M. et al. Flow cytometric analysis in colorectal carcinoma: prognostic significance of cellular DNA content. Int J Colorect Dis 5, 223–227 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00303281
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00303281