ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the radiosensitivity of T1, N0, M0 squamous cell carcinomas of the hypopharynx treated solely with external beam radiation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nuclear DNA content and cell cycle kinetics of 29 archival paraffin-embedded specimens suitable for interpretation were analyzed with an ELITE flow cytometer (Coulter Diagnostics, Opa Locka, FL). RESULTS: In the radiosensitive group with no evidence of disease for 36 months, 86% of the tumors were diploid and 14% were aneuploid. The mean DNA index for this group was 1.02. In the radioresistant group, with recurrence within 36 months, 80% of the tumors were aneuploid, and 20% were diploid. The mean DNA index for this group was 1.32. CONCLUSIONS: The findings could have clinical significance because if aneuploidy occurs in an early hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma, the clinician might select surgical resection over radiation therapy.
Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/radiotherapy , DNA, Neoplasm/radiation effects , Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Ploidies , Radiation Tolerance , Aged , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/pathology , Flow Cytometry/methods , Humans , Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms/pathology , Male , Middle Aged , Neoplasm Staging , Particle AcceleratorsABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between anatomic location and the cytogenetic and cytokinetic characteristics of squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue to determine the diagnostic and prognostic potential of flow cytometry. Fifty-two archival, paraffin-embedded specimens of squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue in clinical stages I-IV acquired from 1975 to the present were analyzed with an ELITE flow cytometer (Coulter Diagnostics, Opa Locka, FL). Histopathologic grading was performed by the same pathologist based on tumor differentiation. Of the 40 specimens found suitable for analysis, several correlations were noted. First, as the clinical stage increased, the % S-phase increased. Second, there was no correlation between the histologic grade and the % S-phase. Finally, the % S-phase was higher in those tumors with nodal involvement.
Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/pathology , Flow Cytometry , Tongue Neoplasms/pathology , Aneuploidy , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/diagnosis , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/genetics , Cell Cycle , Cell Nucleus , Cytogenetics , DNA/analysis , DNA/genetics , Humans , Lymphatic Metastasis/genetics , Lymphatic Metastasis/pathology , Neoplasm Staging , Prognosis , S Phase , Tongue Neoplasms/diagnosis , Tongue Neoplasms/geneticsSubject(s)
Adenolymphoma/pathology , Maxillary Sinus Neoplasms/pathology , Neoplasms, Multiple Primary/pathology , Papilloma, Inverted/pathology , Parotid Neoplasms/pathology , Adenolymphoma/diagnosis , Diagnosis, Differential , Ethmoid Sinus , Humans , Male , Maxillary Sinus Neoplasms/complications , Maxillary Sinus Neoplasms/diagnosis , Maxillary Sinusitis/etiology , Middle Aged , Neoplasms, Multiple Primary/diagnosis , Papilloma, Inverted/complications , Papilloma, Inverted/diagnosis , Parotid Neoplasms/diagnosis , Sinusitis/etiologyABSTRACT
To date, few studies have evaluated the diagnostic and prognostic potential of flow cytometry in oropharyngeal tumors. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the interrelationship of anatomic location with the cytogenetic and cytokinetic characteristics of squamous cell carcinomas of the posterior oropharynx. Forty-eight paraffin-embedded squamous cell carcinoma specimens from the posterior oropharynx in clinical stages I to IV were analyzed with an Epics-C flow cytometer (Coulter Diagnostics, Hialeah, FL). Histopathologic grading was performed by the same pathologist, based on tumor differentiation. Of the 38 specimens suitable for analysis, several correlations were noted. First, as the %S-phase increased, the clinical stage increased. Second, as the histologic grade increased, the aneuploid frequency increased. Finally, as the tumor size increased, the histologic grade increased. From the results of this study, it was concluded that %S-phase may be useful in assessing the prognosis of squamous cell carcinomas of the posterior oropharynx. DNA index or aneuploid frequency, also may have value as a prognostic indicator. Finally, the lack of correlation between TNM staging and histologic grading stems not from tumor size but from nodal and metastatic involvement. Further studies are warranted to better define the usefulness of flow cytometric analysis in squamous cell carcinomas of the oropharyngeal region.
