DNA ploidy and TLI in association with other prognostic parameters in breast cancer

DNA ploidy and thymidine-labeling index (TLI) have been introduced as progn ostic indicators to characterize the biological behavior of breast cancer f or the selection of patients eligible for adjuvant therapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic significance and correlation between ploidy status, TLI and other common histopathologic parameters such as hist otype, stage, grading lymph node metastasis, hormone receptors and recurren ce. DNA ploidy and TLI were assessed for 68 breast cancer patients, 27 to 8 5 yeats of age. DNA histograms, analyzed with static cytometry, were: diplo id in 21(31%) and non diploid in 47 (70%). High TLI values were observed in 16 cases (24 %), medium values in 46 cases (68%) and low values in 6 cases (8,5%). DNA ploidy and TLI showed a statistically significant correlation, as independent parameters, with recurrence (respectively, p=0.0267 and p<0 .0001). Therefore, DNA ploidy and TLI may be considered additional prognost ic parameters to be utilized besides all the other clinical-pathologic data for the assessment of these lesions, and to plan therapeutic strategies.