Cytologic grading and DNA image cytometry of breast carcinoma on fine needle aspiration cytology smears

OBJECTIVE: To correlate the cytologic grade of breast carcinoma with DNA im age cytometry (ICM) and nuclear area on fine needle aspiration cytology (FN AC) smears. STUDY DESIGN: In this prospective study, FNAC material from 28 breast carci nomas were studied for cytologic grade and DNA ICM. Breast carcinomas were classified as grade 1-3 (low to high). DNA histograms were classified by th e modified Auer method. Degree of hyperploidy (DH), ploidy balance (PB) and nuclear area (NA) were measured on Feulgen-stained smears by a CAS 200 ima ge cytometer. Cytologic grade was correlated with DNA ICM findings and NA. RESULTS: There were 3 cytologic grade 1, 13 grade 2 and 12 grade 3 breast c arcinomas. Seven of eight cases of hypertetraploid aneuploidy were grade 3 tumors. All cytologic grade 1 tumors were diploid. There were significant d ifferences in DH, PB and NA in different grades of breast carcinoma (one-wa y ANOVA). CONCLUSION: DNA image cytometry in combination with cytologic grading might offer additional information for the characterization of breast carcinomas diagnosed by FNAC. These observations are of particular interest with the introduction of preoperative chemotherapy.