The cellular DNA content was measured from paraffin-embedded material in 134 colorectal cancers from patients in whom the outcome was known. Seventy-two (55 per cent) were found to contain cells with abnormal DNA (DNA aneuploid). The presence of such a population of cells was not related to pathological stage or histological grade. However, only 14 (19 per cent) patients with DNA aneuploid tumours survived 5 years compared with 27 (43 per cent) of patients with diploid tumours (chi 2 = 8.0, P = 0.005). Stepwise logistic analysis showed cellular DNA content to be an important prognostic factor in colorectal cancer, independent of pathological stage and histological grade.

An unusually high incidence of leukaemia and recurrent infections was noted in children exposed in utero to domestic water supply contaminated with industrial solvents including trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene and 1,2-transdichloroethylene. Medical and laboratory investigations were carried out on 28 family members of the patients with leukaemia with particular emphasis on the immunological system to determine if they displayed symptoms associated with acute or chronic exposure to these chlorinated hydrocarbons. The principal organ systems affected were neurological, immunological and cardiological. Damage to these systems was found in all subjects by history, physical and laboratory parameters. Damage to the immunological system was manifest by altered ratios of T lymphocyte subpopulations, increased incidence of auto-antibodies, increased infections and recurrent rashes.

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