Clinical Significance of the DNA Ploidy Pattern of Gastric Cancer

Kim, Hyeong Rok; Kim, Young Jin; Kim, Dong Yi; Kim, Shin Kon

Abstract

Recently, abnormalites in DNA content have been considered as a new prognostic factor in gastric cancer. However, whether abnormal DNA content can be used as a prognostic tool for gastric cancer is still unknown .For that reason, the relationship between the DNA ploidy pattern and the conventional clincopathologic findings was studied and the corresponding survival rates were compared. A group of 690 newly diagnosed and surgically resected gastric cancer specimens obtained from January 1986 to June 1996 were examined for DNA content by flow cytometry. The results showed that 411 cases (59.6%) had DNA diploidy and 279 cases (40.4%) had aneuploidy; DNA aneuploidy was significantly correlated to well differentiated adenocarcinoma, whereas diploidy was correlated to signet ring cell carcinoma. The DNA diploidy group was differentiated from the aneuploidy group by depth of invasion and nodal involvement. Tumor cells confined to mucosa and no involvement of the lymph node (N0) were significant in the diploidy group of gastric cancer. In addition, stage Ia was predominant in the diploidy group. However the results of surgical resection and the 5-year survival rates of patients in the two groups were not signifcantly different (p>0.05). We, therefore, propose that the DNA ploidy pattern is useful for evaluating tumor growth, including lymph-node involvement, but not for determining the survival and prognosis.