PLOIDY AND PROLIFERATION RATES IN CARCINOMAS OF THE BREAST IN TANZANIA

Routinely collected, processed and stored breast cancer tissue blocks recovered from the archives of the Pathology laboratory in Dar es Sala am after storage of up to 3 years were analysed by a flow cytometry fo r DNA ploidy and S-phase fraction. Results showed that archival materi al stored in humid tropical conditions may be used for flow cytometric analysis. The mean age of the patients was rather low and aneuploidy was much rarer when compared to studies from Western countries, but th e figures on S-phase fraction were comparable. The predominant histolo gical type was infiltrating ductal carcinoma. These results seem to in dicate that there may be some differences in the biology of breast can cer between Tanzania and other countries. Studies to confirm these pre liminary findings are desirable.