An image cytometric DNA-analysis in breast neoplasms. Parameters of DNA-aneuploidy and their relationship with conventional prognostic factors

In this prospective study, an image cytometric DNA-analysis was performed in 86 women with breast neoplasms (72 primary invasive carcinomas and 14 benign lesions). Four DNA ploidy parameters were analysed: histogram type (according to AUER classification), DNA-index, tumor cells with DNA content above the 5n limit and DNA malignancy grade (DNA-MG, calculation according to Böcking). Their correlations with well established prognostic factors in breast carcinomas (tumor size, lymph node status, histologic grade, hormone receptor content) were studied. All but one benign lesions were diploid (13/14 cases), whereas the majority of the primary invasive breast carcinomas were aneuploid (58/72 cases). A predominance of carcinomas with a percentage of cells superior or equal to 1% with DNA content above the 5n limit was observed (54 cases out of 58). Most of the aneuploid tumors had a histogram type III or IV (53 cases) or a high DNA-index (50 cases). Of these 58 aneuploid cases, only 26 tumors had a DNA-MG superior to 1. Interestingly, 26 tumors had the 4 criteria of aneuploidy, 19 had 3 and 9 had 2 and only 4 tumors had one parameter. The DNA-MG was significantly related to hormonal receptors (p less than 0.001) and tumor size (p less than 0.01). The histogram types (Auer classification) and the DNA content above the 5n limit were correlated with histologic grade (SBR or SBRM) (p less than 0.02). Concerning the DNA-index no correlation was observed with well established prognostic factors. On the other hand no significant correlation was found between these new biologic variables and lymph node status.