DNA flow cytometry in surgically treated lung cancer - Prognostic significance

Although DNA aneuploidy and high proliferative activity (S-phase fraction, SPF) of tumour cells, measured by flow cytometry, have proved to be indicat ors of poor prognosis in most solid tumours, there have been conflicting re sults in lung cancer studies. During a four-year period we studied the prog nostic significance of DNA ploidy and SPF in 99 surgically treated lung can cer patients. Flow cytometric analysis was done from archival, formalin-fix ed, paraffin-embedded tumour specimens. DNA index and SPF were determined, using MultiCycle software with sliced nuclear correction to compensate for debris. There were 61 DNA diploid and 38 DNA aneuploid tumours. The median SPF was 10.2%. Neither ploidy nor SPF was associated with previously known prognostic factors. Survival was poorer in patients with aneuploid tumours than in the other patients, but the difference was not statistically signif icant. DNA ploidy and SPF thus do not seem to be useful prognostic indicato rs in surgically treated lung cancer.