PREDICTION OF RELAPSE IN PATIENTS WITH BREAST-CANCER BY DNA CYTOMETRY

Nuclear DNA content was quantified for 193 ductal invasive breast carc inomas in a prospective study, The results were correlated with variou s clinical parameters. Of these tumours 66.2% were non-diploid and the incidence of non-diploid tumours is significantly higher in later sta ges of the disease. The median DNA values distribution tend to be bimo dal, although in stage III a large number of cases showed DNA values b etween 2C and 4C. No association was observed between ploidy and menop ause, lymph node status or incidence of recurrence. The mean times of relapse were 22.4 and 18.8 months in diploid and non-diploid groups, r espectively. The present data suggest association between non-diploidy and tumour aggressiveness, Using Bayesian statistical analysis, the p robability of the mean time of relapse in diploid group to be longer t han in non-diploid group, given the data, is 0.875.