PREDICTIVE VALUE OF DNA-PLOIDY IN BLADDER-CANCER TREATED WITH PREOPERATIVE RADIATION-THERAPY AND CYSTECTOMY

The predictive value of flow cytometric DNA analysis of cells from bla dder washings was evaluated in 43 patients with muscle-invasive or rec urrent superficial bladder cancer treated with preoperative radiothera py and cystectomy. There was no correlation between ploidy status of t he primary tumour and survival, neither was there any correlation betw een ploidy and the occurrence of residual tumour in the cystectomy spe cimens. Patients without residual tumours in the cystectomy specimen h ad significantly longer survival time than those with residual tumours . Concomitant carcinoma in situ was correlated with better survival, w hich is surprising, considering the malignant potential of this lesion . In this study DNA ploidy did not predict tumour response to radiothe rapy nor was it of any prognostic significance.