PLOIDY STATUS AND THE RESPONSE OF T(1)GLOTTIC CARCINOMA TO RADIOTHERAPY

Flow cytometric DNA ploidy measurements were performed on formalin fix ed paraffin embedded tumour specimens from patients with a T1 glottic laryngeal carcinoma in order to evaluate the role of DNA content in re lation to local control. From 1980 to 1987, a consecutive series of 90 patients with a T1 glottic laryngeal carcinoma were treated by radiot herapy with curative intent. Biopsies from 44 of these patients were r eadily available for DNA flow cytometry. In this group aneuploidy was associated with a significantly higher risk (P = 0.018) of local recur rence within 2 years after completion of radiotherapy (38% vs. 9% in t he diploid group).