DNA content and survival in mammary carcinoma.

In a retrospective study of archival fine needle aspiration biopsy material from 112 patients with primary mammary carcinoma, the DNA distribution patterns of the cancer cell populations were determined. A distinct correlation was found between the occurrence of certain types of DNA distribution histograms and the survival time of the patients. Thus, the data indicate that DNA determinations can give prognostic information, in the individual case, over and above that furnished by clinical staging and morphologic criteria.