Prognostic value of flow cytometrical DNA measurements in stage I-II endometrial carcinoma: correlations with steroid receptor concentration, tumor myometrial invasion, and degree of differentiation.

The prognostic value of flow cytometric DNA measurements of individual tumor cells was studied in 166 patients with endometrial carcinoma stage I-II. Follow-up time was 1-46 months and 110 patients were followed for more than 2 years. Three different ways of estimating DNA ploidy were evaluated, and the use of normal endometria in defining diploidy was considered the best. DNA-ploidy had a much more marked prognostic value in terms of 2-year recurrence-free survival than other known prognostic parameters, such as degree of differentiation, range of myometrial invasion and estradiol and progesterone receptor concentrations. The proliferative activity as determined by DNA flow cytometrical analysis was not correlated with prognosis.