Prognostic implications of DNA ploidy in squamous cell carcinomas of the tongue assessed by flow cytometry

Abstract

A total of 47 primary squamous cell carcinomas of the tongue were analysed by DNA flow cytometry. With respect to their clonal DNA content two distinct tumor groups could be distinguished. In 14 cases the tumors (29.8%) were dipoid, whereas in 33 cases (70.2%) additional cell lines characterized by abnormal DNA content could be detected. A significant increase of aneuploid cases with tumor size as well as with decreasing histological differentiation could be detected. Aneuploid cell lines are lacking in T1 as well as in most G1 carcinomas but predominate in T3 and G3. Furthermore, cervical lymph node involvement was recognized in the majority of aneuploid primary carcinomas (81.8%) but was largely lacking in diploid tumors (21.4%). Hence, the presence of aneuploid cell lines is clearly connected with clinical and histopathological parameters, each of which have turned out to worsen the prognosis in tongue carcinomas.

Prognostic Value of S-Phase Fraction and DNA Ploidy in Oral Carcinoma Studied with Bromodeoxyuridine Labeling in vitro and Flow Cytometry

“…DNA aneuploidy is correlated with advanced stage, poor tis sue differentiation, and cervical lymph node involvement [8,9,12], factors which are known to worsen the prognosis of pa tients with oral cancer [19]. As evident from the present data, 38 Hemmer Prognostic Value of S-Phase Fraction aneuploidy represents an independent predictor of lymphatic spread even if prognostically identical groups were considered.…”

Ki-67 expression predicts locoregional recurrence in stage I oral tongue carcinoma

“…Studies have shown that patients with highly aneuploid tumours have reduced disease-free survival times compared to patients with less unstable tumours (ie breast and colorectal cancer; Armitage et al, 1985;Hemmer et al, 1990;Kronenwett et al, 2006). In oral cancers, ploidy studies have yielded varying degrees of aneuploidy from 50 up to 70% (Hemmer et al, 1990;Baretton et al, 1995). Our study represented a large aneuploid OTSCC population (97%), which reflects high Ki-67 predicts recurrence in oral tongue cancers D Wangsa et al genomic instability in our material.…”

Anticancer Drug Action Assessed by Serial DNA Flow Cytometry during Induction Chemotherapy in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Impacts on the Development of Individualized Treatment Strategies

“…That tumor progression can be interrupted in diploid oral carcinomas even by surgery alone, but failed to be curative in the majority of aneuploid cases treated similarly, has re cently been reported [4], Lymph node in volvement nearly exclusively in patients with aneuploid primary tumors [6][7][8] represents a further indication that aneuploid oral carci noma cells, unlike diploid tumor cells, indeed share the property of an increased biological malignancy in terms of an enhanced potential of invasion and metastasis, probably acti vated by the cytogenetic events associated with aneuploidy formation.…”

“…The 5-year overall survival rate in patients with diploid carcinomas was 88%, in contrast to only 36% in the aneuploid group. Furthermore, cervical lymph node involve ment has only occasionally been seen in oral carcinoma patients with primary tumors con sisting exclusively of diploid cells, while more than 90% of all patients with lymph node metastases at presentation belonged to the aneuploid group [6][7][8],…”