DNA distribution pattern and comparison of quantitative data in breast tumours.

Aspiration cytology smears from 24 breast alterations were subjected to cytophotometry and TV image analysis. The smears were grouped according to histological diagnosis and cytological pattern. Cell cycle parameters and DNA indices were calculated from the decomposition of the DNA histograms. Based on quantitative morphometric features the TV image analyser distinguished the benign cells from the malignant ones. In benign cases its diagnostic accuracy is of 80%. Cytological Grades 1, 2 and 3 are also identifiable by this system. Cytophotometric measurements were also performed with 22 invasive breast cancers with known 5-year survival. The cell cycle parameters were related to the survival data. From the point of view of survival only the ratio of the S plus G2 phase cells of all the parameters examined proved to be significant.