Lack of prognostic significance of ploidy and S-phase measurements in advanced ovarian cancer

DNA ploidy and S-phase measurements were made in fresh tumour samples obtai ned from 27 patients with either untreated or previously treated ovarian ca ncer. In addition, an assessment of in vitro chemosensitivity to post-opera tive chemotherapy was carried out. Whilst we found that patients with aneup loid tumours tended to survive longer (median survival 441 days versus 268 days for diploid tumours; p 0.308) and this was associated with clinical re sponse (p = 0.137) this was not statistically significant. Tumours with a h igh S-phase fraction (i.e. > 9% median) showed a median survival of 362 day s compared with 484 days for those with a low S-phase fraction (<9%; p=0.79 ). Whilst a high level of predictability for chemosensitive patients (81%) was achieved, chemosensitivity per se was not related to the respective tum our DNA ploidy or S-phase fr action. In addition, wizen considering disease stage i.e. FIGO stage III or IV or extent of residual disease between dipl oid and aneuploid groups, there were no statistically significant differenc es. However, there was a tendency for stage III tumours to be aneuploid (p = 0.189). Aneuploid tumours also showed the highest S-phase fractions (p = 0.03), indicative of a high proliferation rate. In conclusion, we have show n that DNA content and ploidy status do not appear to be major prognostic i ndicators for the management of ovarian cancer.