Flow-cytometric assessment of DNA index and percent S phase cells in bronchogenic epidermoid carcinoma.

The DNA index and percent S phase cells were assessed in 45 bronchogenic epidermoid carcinomas from paraffin-embedded retrieved material by flow cytometry. Previously, a comparison between flow cytometric findings from fresh and from paraffin-embedded material was made. The DNA index and the percent S phase cells from fresh and paraffin-embedded material were strongly correlated. Only 3 of the 45 cases were diploid. The DNA index was significantly lower in grade 1 than in grade 2-3 tumors. No correlations were found between DNA index and presence of lymph node metastases, but the percent S phase cells was significantly higher in lymph-node-positive tumors.