Analysis of Nuclear DNA Content in Carcinoma of the Head of the Pancreas Using Flow Cytometry with Special Reference to Histopathological Findings, Prognosis and Mode of Recurrence

Nuclear DNA content of paraffin-embedded specimens from 103 patients with carcinoma of the head of the pancreas was measured by flow cytometry. In order to determine the biological characteristics of pancreatic carcinoma from the viewpoint of nuclear DNA content, the relationship between nuclear DNA content and histopathological findings, prognosis, and recurrence was studied. No correlation between nuclear DNA content and histopathological findings was observed. There was no stastitically significant difference in cumulative survival rates between diploid and aneuploid tumors. On the other hand, five of six patients who survived more than 3 years had diploid tumors. In patients with aneuploid tumors, the survival rates for patients with a DNA index less than 1.5 tended to be higher than those for patients with a DNA index 1.5 or more. Intratumor variation in DNA index from different parts of the tumor was not observed. In patients who received curative resection, those with a DNA index 1.5 or more tended to have liver metastasis and none of the patients with a DNA index less than 1.5 had recurrence. Nuclear DNA content appears to be an important prognostic factor in pancreatic carcinoma, independent of histopathological findings.