European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, Vol 7, 351-355, Copyright © 1993 by European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery
DNA flow cytometric analysis in patients with operable non-small cell lung carcinoma
P Granone, G Cardillo, E Rumi, D D'Ugo, C Rumi, S Ciletti, S Margaritora, D Terribile and A Picciocchi
Department of General Surgery I, Catholic University of Rome, Italy.
Fresh surgical specimens of tumors from 60 patients with previously
untreated non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) who underwent radical
surgery between January 1991 and October 1992 were investigated by means of
flow-cytometry. The nuclear DNA measurement was carried out using a Facscan
(Becton, Dickinson, USA). Analysis of the DNA content was performed in all
60 patients whilst cell cycle analysis was possible in 41 cases (68.3%).
Forty-two of the 60 cases (70%) were aneuploid and 18 (30%) were diploid.
The overall mean value of DNA index was 1.5. Diploid NSCLC were compared
with aneuploid tumors: no significant differences in age distribution, sex
ratio, histology and staging were found between the two groups (P >
0.05). An S-phase proportion of more than 10% was found in 30 out of 41
patients (73.2%). Early cancer deaths were reported in four patients
(6.6%): the aneuploidy rate was very close in these patients (75%) and in
the remaining surviving patients (69.6%). An S-phase proportion of more
than 10% was found in 100% of early cancer deaths and in 70.2% of the
remaining cases; such a difference seems of some importance although it was
not statistically significant (P = 0.071). In conclusion, flow- cytometry
studies seem to be a useful tool in the understanding of the biological
behavior of patients with NSCLC. In the present prospective report there
were no significant correlations between DNA measurements and clinical
outcome, however, these results suggest that a high S- phase proportion
should be seen as a possible prognostic indicator.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
250 WORDS)
