USE OF FLOW-CYTOMETRY FOR EVALUATING BREAST-CANCER CELL-PROLIFERATIONAFTER CHEMOTHERAPY

We studied the change in cell proliferation after preoperative oral ad ministration of an anticancer drug using flow cytometry for aspirated breast cancer cell specimens, Thirty-six patients with breast cancer r eceived 400 mg/d of oral UFT (a 1:4 mixture of tegafur and uracil) for 1 to 2 weeks preoperatively. Cells aspirated from the tumor using a f ine needle were evaluated for changes before and after administration of the drug. Ki-67, a nuclear-associated proliferation related antigen , staining and DNA ploidy were studied using flow cytometry and compar ed with cytologic and histologic (mastectomy specimen) changes, After administration of UFT, the number of cells stained with Ki-67 antigen decreased (from 89.2 +/- 21.0 to 47.7 +/- 28.6), but DNA ploidy was un changed. The decreasing number of Ki-67-stained cells was well correla ted with cell and tissue damage (P = 0.0170 and P = 0.0090, respective ly), These results suggest that flow cytometry is a simple and effecti ve method for evaluating changes in cell proliferation after chemother apy, This method also would be useful for selecting an effective antic ancer drug for postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy.