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. 1994 Feb;120(4):233–239. doi: 10.1007/BF01372562

The relevance of flow-cytometric DNA content in the evaluation of lung cancer

Franco Salvati 1, Laura Teodori 2,✉, Maria Luisa Trinca 2, Roberto Pasquali-Lasagni 3, Wolfgang Göhde 4
PMCID: PMC12201015  PMID: 8288677

Abstract

Cells from a group of 185 patients suffering from malignant tumours (160 non-small-cell lung carcinoma, 13 small-cell lung carcinoma, and 12 non-epithelial tumours) and 6 with benign lung tumours were studied by flow cytometry in order to detect the prognostic value of DNA content. A total of 144 (90%) non-small-cell lung carcinomas (NSCLC) and 8 (62%) small-cell lung carcinomas (SCLC) exhibited aneuploidy. Furthermore 52% (83 patients) NSCLC, 24% (3 patients) SCLC and 50% (6 patients) non-epithilial tumours demonstrated multiclonality. Benign cases showed diploid DNA content. For actuarial survival analysis using the Bergesson and Gage method and the Greenwood variance, 142 patients were selected. Statistical comparisons were made by the use of thet-test for unpaired data between fixed times. No correlation was observed between ploidy and stage, histological grading or treatment modality. A statistically significantly better survival was observed after 12, 18 and 24 months of follow-up for diploid and monoclonal (with the exclusion of hypo- and hypertetraploid) patients. Thus, flow-cytometric DNA analysis may be useful in prognostic assessment of human lung tumours.

Key words: DNA/protein flow cytometry, Lung tumours, Long-term survival

Abbreviations

NSCLS

non-small-cell lung carcinoma

SCLC

small cell lung carcinoma

Footnotes

This research was supported by PF CNR ACRO (Sottoprogetto 7, Terapie Selettive), and by Deutsche Krebshilfe e. V.

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