The Clinical Value of Flow Cytometric DNA Content Analysis in Patientswith Soft Tissue Sarcomas

[摘要] Purpose.The purpose of this study was to evaluate: (1) the correlationbetween grade and ploidy or S-phase fraction (SPF), (2) the prognostic value of DNA flowcytometric study in soft tissue sarcomas.Patients /Methods.In all, 47 tissue samples from soft tissue sarcomapatients, surgically treated in the same center, were included. Flow cytometric analyseswere performed according to a modified version of the original method of Hedleyet al.Results.DNA ploidy status could be determined in 44 samples out of47 (success rate 94%). Of these 44, S-phase fraction could be calculated in 34 samples (77%).In the study group as a whole, aneuploidy was significantly correlated with high grade.Survival analyses were carried out in 21 patients with soft tissue sarcoma, all surgicallytreated in the same center, without chemotherapy or radiotherapy. In univariate analyses,DNA ploidy was found to be a significant factor for overall survival (OAS) and metastasis-freesurvival MFS. Mean OAS for aneuploid tumors and diploid tumors were 35 and 65months (p=0.034), and mean MFS 23 and 61 months, respectively (p=0.005) .Discussion.There is a relation between histological grade and ploidy insoft tissue sarcomas. It appears that low-grade tumors are generally diploid, whereashigh-grade tumors tend to be aneuploid. In a subgroup of patients treated only withsurgery, DNA ploidy was found to be an important factor for predicting OAS and MFS.

[学科分类] 肿瘤学