Prognostic significance of DNA ploidy in squamous cell lung carcinoma: Is it really worth it?

Background. Many previous studies attempted to associate DNA quantification with prognosis for lung cancer, but there is a divergence of opinion about its value. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the frequency of abnor mal DNA content in squamous cell cancer (SCC) and analyze its correlation w ith late survival rates after surgical treatment. Methods. A group of 110 patients surgically treated because of SCC was anal yzed. Paraffin-embedded pathologic material underwent cytometric analysis. Postoperative follow-up was performed with standard follow-up visits. The s tatistical analysis was carried out using Mann-Whitney's U and chi (2) test s to compare various variables in both groups. The survival curves were dra wn using the Kaplan-Meier method. Clinical staging, regional metastasis, an d ploidy, were analyzed with multivariate analysis for having a great impac t on survival rates. Results. Fifty (45%) tumors were DNA aneuploid. The survival rate in patien ts with aneuploid cancers was worse than in those with diploid tumors and t he most frequent cause of death was local recurrence (p < 0.05). Conclusions. DNA content abnormalities were found to be an important progno stic factor in patients with SCC. The DNA quantification can select a group of high risk of recurrence even after a radical procedure and set new guid elines for adjuvant therapy. (Ann Thorac Surg 2000;70:1629-33) (C) 2000 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.