DNA CONTENT AND THYMIDINE LABELING INDEX CORRELATE WITH PROGNOSIS IN SQUAMOUS-CELL CARCINOMA OF THE LARYNX

The prognostic Value of proliferative activity was determined in 48 ca ses of squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx, Tumor samples were obtai ned during surgery: DNA content was determined by static cytometry wit h an image analysis program, and cell kinetics were analyzed by the in vitro thymidine labeling index (T-LI), The DNA content analysis visua lized a diploid cellular population in 32 cases and an aneuploid cellu lar population in 16 cases. The DNA content was not significantly rela ted to the sex and the age of the patients or the TN stage of the tumo rs, but to histological grade (p = 0.03). Similarly significant correl ation was found between T-LI and age of the patients, indeed the media n Value was higher in patients older than 59 (p = 0.024). T-LI was not related to the sex of the patients, or to the histological grade or t he TN stage of the tumors. In multivariate analysis, using the Cox mod el, T-LI was the most important prognostic parameter (p = 0.015), supe rior to DNA content(p = 0.021) and to TN stage (p = 0.047; p = 0.043). From the data obtained in this study it can be concluded that evaluat ion of DNA content and thymidine labeling index in squamous cell carci noma of the larynx may be new independent parameters of prognosis and may contribute to optimal and individualized therapy.