[Flow cytometric analysis of squamous cell carcinoma of the oral and maxillofacial region].

Fifty fresh tissue samples and fifty paraffin embedded specimens from squamous cell carcinoma of the oral and maxillofacial region were analyzed for nuclear DNA content and cell kinetics by flow cytometry (FCM). Mean DNA index (DI) was 1.154, and 59% of them showed aneuploidy patterns. Mean S phase cell population, which represents the "proliferative activity", was 22.62%. With the increase of surgical stage, aneuploid population rose from 51.7% to 82.8%, and with the increase of histology grade, it rose from 54.17% to 71.4%. S phase cell population also showed a tendency to increase with the increase of surgical stage or histology grade, and in those with cervical metastasis. The results indicate that nuclear DNA analysis by FCM is quite useful as a supplement to histology diagnosis and evaluation of malignant grade of squamous cell carcinomas of the oral and maxillofacial region.