Flow cytometric DNA analysis of specimen mammography-guided fine-needle aspirates of ductal carcinoma in situ

Flow cytometric studies of screening mammography detected ductal, carcinoma in situ (DCIS) are limited by the lack of fresh cell samples. We have perf ormed flow cytometric DNA analyses of specimen mammography-guided fine-need le aspirates of 50 consecutive DCIS lesions detected by screening mammograp hy. The comedo histologic subtype had an aneuploidy rate of 39% (9 of 23); noncomedo subtypes had an aneuploidy rate of 19% (5 of 27), p=ns. Noncomedo subtypes were more likely to have low (less than 2.2%) S-phase percentages , 59% (16 of 27) as compared to comedo, 9% (2 of 23), p<0.05. High and inte rmediate nuclear grade DCIS lesions had an insignificantly greater rate of aneuploidy, 35% (9 of 26) and 33% (4 of 12) respectively, as compared to lo w nuclear grade lesions, 8% (1 of 12), p=ns. Low and intermediate nuclear g rade DCIS lesions had low S-phase percentage rates of 67% and 50% respectiv ely, as compared to the high nuclear grade lesions low S-phase percentage r ate, 15%, p=ns. Aneuploidy and lesser rates of low S-phase percentages were significantly associated with necrosis and apoptosis. Our data suggest tha t flow cytometric DNA analysis of mammographic lesion-specific, fresh cell samples obtained by fine-needle aspiration under specimen mammographic guid ance can assess mammography-detected DCIS lesions when gross fresh tissue p rocurement is not possible.