DNA flow cytometry in superficial bladder cancer

Choi, Do Yeoun; Park, Hae Young

Abstract

A total or 44 patients with superficial bladder cancer underwent flow cytometric analysis of nuclei obtained from paraffin embedded specimens(44 first and 8 recurrent). Tumors could be classified according to their DNA content as diploid or aneuploid and to the proportion of proliferating cells (S-phase fraction). The degrees of cellular differentiation were related to the DNA patterns and to S-phase fractions. And reccurence-free rates were compared according to the DNA patterns. Of the total 52 specimens, 22 (42% ) showed aneuploid DNA patterns. The majority (83.9%) of low grade tumors had diploid pattern and the majority (81%) of high grade tumors had aneuploid pattern (p<0.005). Mean S-phase fraction of tota1 52 paraffin blocks was estimated as 11.17% (S.D.: 5.75). Mean S-phase fraction by grade was estimated as 9.95% (S.D. : 5.l4) in low grade tumors and 13.89%(S.D. : 6.10) in high grade tumors (p<0.05). Five-year recurrence-free rate was 77.8% in diploid group and 29.4% in aneuploid group (p<0.005). Mean S-phase fraction of the non-recurrent tumors was 8.91% (S.D. : 3.49). and that of the recurrent tumors 14.32% (S.D. : 7.76). The above results suggest that DNA ploidy and S-phase fraction as measured flow cytometry appear to be an important prognostic factors for superficial bladder cancer. And this information may be used to plan patient treatment according to the predicted risks.