[DNA analysis by flow cytometry in breast carcinoma].

Using deparaffinized tumor specimens, a flow cytometric DNA analysis was performed in 63 primary breast cancers from patients who were treated from 1976 through 1982. Fourty-three percent of the cases were found to be aneuploid, and 57% were diploid. No trend to increased aneuploid proportion with a more advanced disease was noted. There was no correlation between the level of ploidy and the clinicopathological factors. Aneuploid tumors seem to have a poorer survival, but no significant difference was found between the two patterns of ploidy. Patients with a low S-phase fraction (SPF) had a significantly longer survival than those with a high SPF. A DNA analysis of the tumor cells in breast cancer is felt to be use for a prognostic evaluation.