1991 Volume 37 Issue 6 Pages 1084-1094
The nuclear DNA contents of 67 oral squamous cell carcinomas were analyzed by flow cytometry and the results were compared with pathological, clinical features and clinical course.
All benign tumors had a normal DNA content (diploid pattern) but 44.8% of sluamous cell carcinomas had an abnormal DNA content (ancuploidy pattern). It was found that aneuploidy and DNA Index (DI) were associated with a size of tumor (T), a clinical nodal involvement (N) and clinical stage but not associated with histological grade. The tumors with advanced T, N and stage tended to show an aneuploidy pattern and high DI value. The tumor with pathological nodal involvement had both a high ratio of aneuploid tumors and a high DI value. The occurrence of primary recurrence and distant metastasis might be associated with the rate of aneuploidy. Sevcnty-five percent of 12 dead patients within 3 years had aneuploid tumor (vs. 38% of alive).
These findings suggested that flow cytometric analysis might be useful to predict the prognosis of oral s: luamous cell carcinomas.
