DNA QUANTIFICATION IS TECHNICALLY FEASIBLE AND OF VALUE IN CERVICAL SMEAR SAMPLES - POSSIBLE APPLICATIONS FOR DETERMINATION OF PROGRESSION IN LOW-GRADE DYSKARYOSIS

This study evaluates the feasibility of DNA analysis of cervical intra epithelial neoplasia III (CIN III) lesions on cervical smear and forma lin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue (FFPET) blocks with a view to exten ding this type of analysis to milder grades of dyskaryosis. DNA ploidy was determined by image analysis using a CAS 200 Image Analyser. Seve nteen patients with a diagnosis of CIN III were studied. Results show that all smear and tissue samples were non-diploid with nine aneuploid and eight tetraploid lesions. In 6/7 patients whose smears and corres ponding biopsies were examined there was complete agreement as to the DNA profile. We conclude that DNA quantification is technically feasib le in archival, routinely prepared cervical smears. This technique sho uld now be applied to CINI and CINII cervical smears to determine if i t is of value in identifying those lesions that will progress to CIN I II. This study is particularly timely with the possibility in the near future of estimation of ploidy by image analysis using instruments su ch as the Highly Optimized Microscope Environment (HOME) system.