Relationship of DNA ploidy, cell kinetics, estrogen receptor and clinical status in patients with breast cancer
Kuo, S.H.; Lin, C.C.; Yu, S.C.; Liaw, K.Y.; Wei, T.C.; Chen, K.M.
Journal of the Formosan Medical Association 84(11): 1260-1269
1985
ISSN/ISBN: 0371-7682 PMID: 3868701 Document Number: 258774
Imprint smears from 81 women with primary breast cancer were subjected to cytophotometric measurements of nuclear DNA content. The smears were stained using the Feulgen method and scanned with an integrating microdensitometer. The relationship of DNA ploidy, S-phase fraction (SPF) values, estrogen receptor (ER) and clinical status was investigated. The frequency distribution of DNA modes of breast cancer was 1.2% hypodiploid, 11.1% diploid, 85.2% polyploid and 2.5% aneuploid. Higher DNA modes and more hyperploid cells were found in advanced stages of breast cancer and ER-negative tumors, but the increase was not statistically significant. In this series, there was no relationship between the DNA ploidy and age of patients, clinical stage, axillary nodal status, estrogen receptor and histology of breast cancer. However the DNA ploidy could serve as a reliable marker for breast cancer. The SPF values, indicating the proliferative activity, could be calculated on DNA histograms in 63 (77.8%) of 81 breast cancers. The mean SPF value of breast cancer was 12.8 .+-. 7.6 (S.D.). ER-positive tumors contained significantly less SPF values (10.4 .+-. 7.2) than ER-negative tumors did (15.8 .+-. 8.2). The SPF values were higher in comedocarcinoma and medullary carcinoma than in other histologic types of breast cancer. Besides, the SPF value showed no correlation with other clinical parameters. The DNA histograms were almost identical in the primary tumors and their corresponding metastatic nodes in 8 of 9 breast cancers. The proliferative activity of metastases was similar to that of their primary tumors. The mean SPF value was 7.9 .+-. 5.6 in primary tumors and was 6.6 .+-. 4.0 in metastatic nodes (P > 0.4).