Prognostic significance of clinical stage, histologic grade, and nuclear DNA content in squamous-cell carcinoma of the anus.

Specimens from 47 cases of anal squamous-cell carcinoma were examined in Stockholm county (1978 to 1981) with respect to clinical stage (43 cases), histologic grade (41 cases), and DNA content of the tumor cells (31 cases). Follow-up ranged from four to seven years (median, 5.5 years). The increased mortality in advanced stage and high-grade lesions was significant. Analysis of DNA content showed that most tumors were aneuploid. No statistically significant effect of DNA content on survival could be demonstrated. Thus, histologic grade and clinical stage seem to be the best predictors of patient outcome in squamous-cell carcinoma of the anus.