PROGNOSTIC-SIGNIFICANCE OF CELL-CYCLE PARAMETERS IN INFILTRATIVE DUCTAL BREAST-CARCINOMA

Flow-cytometric DNA analysis was performed retrospectively from paraff in-embedded blocks in 158 consecutive ductal infiltrative breast carci noma patients grades I-III. Normal breast tissue was used as control. Tumor proliferative activity, cell ploidy, and DNA index (DI) were rel ated to age of patients, histological grade of tumor, tumor size, axil lary lymph node status, estrogen and progesterone receptor status, men opausal status, TNM clinical classification, and survival. There was a significant association between DNP, aneuploidy and a high cellular p roliferative activity, increased DI, poor differentiation of tumor, pr imary tumor size, number of positive lymph nodes, and postmenopausal s tate. Increased proportion of cells in S-phase was associated with pos itive lymph node status and higher number of positive lymph nodes. The cell cycle parameters had no prognostic value either for overall surv ival of disease-free survival of the patients. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, In c.