Cytological and quantitative cytochemical studies of post-radiation dysplasia.

A total of 60 vaginal smears from 19 women treated with ionizing radiation for malignancies of the genital tract in the past seven years in the Division of Radiation Therapy of Emory University School of Medicine were studied for the presence of post-radiation dysplasia (PRD) by means of Feulgen cytospectrophotometry and cytological analysis. PRD was diagnosed on the basis of the presence of dysplastic cytological changes, absence of clinically detectable lesions, and presence of aneuploid DNA values in the dysplastic cells. PRD was detected in 21% of the studied cases. Uniform criteria for PRD, describing premalignant and malignant post-radiation lesions, diagnosed on the basis of aneuploid DNA values, as well as cytological observations is suggested.

Cytochemical and immunologic of women treated for squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix.

A total of 126 individuals were tested for circulating T lymphocyte levels: 10 patients with stage I-III squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix before treatment; 65 women previously treated with radiation for stage I and II squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix; and 51 healthy age-matched controls. Percentages of aneuploid cells and DNA content in vaginal or cervical smears were determined in 94 patients. All patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix had lower ratios and levels of circulating T lymphocytes than healthy controls. Cytologic and cytochemical DNA studies of vaginal and cervical smears revealed that these individuals had high percentages of aneuploid cells in cervical smears as well as high DNA values. Patients with no evidence of dysplasia had increased circulating T lymphocyte levels compared to pretreatment values, a lower number of aneuploid cells, and mean DNA values close to diploid cells. Based on cytologic and quantitative DNA studies of vaginal and cervical smears, postirradiation dysplasia was diagnosed in 17 of 65 women previously treated by radiation for squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix. No difference in the levels of circulating T lymphocytes between women with postirradiation dysplasia and women without this mucosal disorder and no evidence of cancer was found.

Cytospectrophotometric analysis of DNA content in the invasive cancer of the vervix.

Fourteen cases of invasive, well differentiated squamous cell carcinoma were studied by means of spectrophotometry for relative DNA content in the tumor cells. Comprehensive review of literature on the subject is given. No correlation of relative DNA value in the tumor cells and clinical stage of the malignancy was found. Lack of the correlation between percentage of aneuploid cells and clinical stage of the tumor was observed. Based on the results of this paper and the literature on the subject, the interrelationship of the proportion of aneuploid cells with low arbitrary DNA value and radiosensitivity of the cervical lesion is suggested. The value of quantitative DNA study for treatment planning is emphasized.

Short term effects of ionizing radiation on the recurrent or metastatic skin cancer--a quantitative DNA study.

A total of 72 smears from two cases of metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck during radiation therapy were studied for DNA content. The percentage of aneuploid tumor cells in the range of lower ploidy was high in both cases and remained high throughout the treatment. The correlation between the percentage of aneuploid cells in metastatic squamous cell carcinoma and radiocurability of these lesions has been discussed.