Prognostic significance of DNA ploidy in mucoepidermoid carcinoma

• Published in: European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology Vol. 254; no. 4; pp. 180 - 185
• Main Authors: GEMRYD, P, LUNDQUIST, P. G, TYTOR, M, HELLQUIST, H. B, NORDENSKJÖLD, B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin Springer 1997
• Subjects: Adult; Aneuploidy; Biological and medical sciences; Carcinoma, Mucoepidermoid - pathology; Carcinoma, Mucoepidermoid - radiotherapy; Carcinoma, Mucoepidermoid - surgery; Combined Modality Therapy; Diploidy; DNA, Neoplasm - analysis; Female; Flow Cytometry; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Staging; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Prognosis; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; Salivary Gland Neoplasms - pathology; Salivary Gland Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Salivary Gland Neoplasms - surgery; Salivary Glands - pathology; Salivary Glands - surgery; Tumors; Upper respiratory tract, upper alimentary tract, paranasal sinuses, salivary glands: diseases, semeiology; Human; Flow cytometry; Ploidy; Carcinoma; Prognosis; Exploration; Salivary gland; Malignant tumor; Statistical study; Mucoepidermoid carcinoma; Pathology; Salivary gland disease; DNA; ENT disease
• ISSN: 0937-4477; 1434-4726
• DOI: 10.1007/BF00879270

Thirty-four mucoepidermoid carcinomas were studied retrospectively with regard to histological and clinical parameters. In 28 of the tumors DNA patterns were also assessed using flow cytometry. Twenty-two of the 28 tumors (79%) were DNA diploid and 6 (21%) DNA aneuploid. Two tumors (7%) showed intratumoral DNA as indicated by different stemlines in specimens investigated from different parts of the tumor. DNA ploidy correlated significantly with cervical lymph node status (P < 0.01), but not with tumor size or histological grade. The mean S-phase value was 2.7% and was significantly higher in aneuploid samples than in diploid ones (P < 0.05). The recurrence rate was significantly lower for patients with stage I and II tumor compared with those with stage III and IV disease (P < 0.01). Five aneuploid tumors showed significantly higher recurrence rates (5/6) than the diploid ones (1/22) (P < 0.01). In univariate analysis for survival, only N stage tumor (P < 0.05) and tumor DNA ploidy (P < 0.0003) had significant prognostic influence. Thus, DNA ploidy seems to be a valuable parameter for evaluating the biological behavior of mucoepidermoid carcinomas of the salivary glands.