A DIFFERENCE IN NUCLEAR MORPHOMETRY WHEN FROZEN RATHER THAN FRESH TISSUE IS STUDIED

Objective: Since the value of nuclear morphometry as a prognostic indi cator in gynecologic malignancies is beginning to be explored, the aut hors attempted to see whether there was a difference in the nuclear mo rphometric features of size, shape and summed optical density in endom etrial cancer when touch preparations were made from fresh versus froz en tissue. Methods: Fifty specimens were obtained from twenty-five con secutive patients with endometrial cancer. Each patient had an air dri ed touch preparation made from fresh and frozen tissue. Values were co mpared using paired samples T-test. Logistic regression was used as a type of multivariate analysis. Nuclear size (NUSZ), shape (NUSH), and summed optical density (NUSD) were calculated by image analysis. Resul ts: Mean NUSZ was shown to be significantly larger in fresh specimens (117.3 mu m(2)) when compared to the frozen specimens (89.3 mu m(2)) p < 0.001. Mean NUSH was significantly closer to round in frozen specim ens (15.21) when compared to the fresh specimens (15.55) p = 0.038. Me an NUSD was shown to be significantly larger in frozen specimens (128. 6) as compared to fresh specimens (120.2) p = 0.045. Stage, NUSZ and N USD from fresh tissue were shown to be independent predictors of recur rent disease. Conclusion: The type of tissue (fresh versus frozen) fro m which touch preparations are made is important. Significant differen ces in NUSZ, NUSH, and NUSD were seen between fresh and frozen specime ns. while NUSZ and NUSD from fresh specimens were predictive of recurr ence, the same parameters from frozen specimens were not. A larger pro spective trial is underway to determine the validity of these prelimin ary conclusions.