The prognostic value of deoxyribonucleic acid content in renal cell carcinoma

Park, Moon Soo; Lee, Sang Eun; Kim, Si Whang

Abstract

In 79 renal cell carcinoma analyzed by flow cytometry, 30 tumors (38%) were aneuploid stem line. 18 (60%) of these were tetraploid aneuploid while 12 (40% ) were nontetraploid aneuploid. Two or more specimens were analyzed from a single primary tumor in 34 patients and heterogeneily of ploidy status was observed in 9 (27%). A significant correlation was noted between the presence of aneuploid stem lines and high stage disease (P less than 0.02) but there was no significant correlation between ploidy status and tumor grade. There was significant survival advantage of patients with diploid tumors compared to those with aneuploid tumors in total population (P less than 0.05 ). But in multivariated analysis, only two factors. capsule invasion and lymph node involvement were independent predictors of survival and no clear survival advantage was demonstrated for patients with diploid tumors when controlled for tumor and node stage. In conclusion, considering the heterogeneity of ploidy status and the lack of independent prognostic value. we do not support widespread clinical application of flow cytometry in the management of individual patients with renal cell carcinoma.