Primary breast cancer. Flow cytometric DNA pattern in relation to clinical and histopathologic characteristics.

Cell suspensions of 59 primary operable mammary carcinomas in women were subjected to flow cytometric DNA analyses. The results were correlated to histopathological grading, clinical staging, menopausal status and estrogen receptor status. Thirty-two tumors showed a DNA peak above +25% of murine lymphocyte level and were named distinct aneuploid (AN). Twenty-seven tumors did not show such a peak and were named near diploid (ND). Low histopathological malignancy grade was associated with a high frequency of ND tumors (P less than 0.05). Small tumors (T1) were predominantly ND (14/19), while larger tumors (T2-3) showed a high frequency of AN tumors (27/40) (P less than 0.01). Tumors occurring in post-menopausal women were often AN, while those arising in premenopausal women were frequently ND (P less than 0.06). No clear correlation was found between the DNA ploidy pattern and estrogen receptor status. There was a tendency that patients with AN tumors had a higher frequency of relapses during the first 4-5 years of follow-up than those with ND breast carcinomas.