Microfluorometric grading of mammary tumors. A pilot study.

Material obtained from 24 women with benign and malignant breast lesions was subjected to comparative morphologic and cytophotometric DNA analysis. All the cases of benign tumors, as well as benign tissue samples obtained from tumor-containing breasts, exhibited DNA values corresponding to the diploid control value. The tumors classified as carcinoma in situ or highly differentiated invasive cancers (grade I) showed a distribution of the DNA values significantly different from the diploid control values. The tumors classified s grade II and III showed a shift to the "triploid" area or were totally aneuploid. The results of the present pilot study suggest that quantitative cytophotometric DNA analysis can be used for grading the malignancy of breast tumors in combination with conventional histologic examination. Additional studies of larger groups of women may yield further information on the microfluorometric grading of malignancy. Such studies may also contribute to the further development and use of automated methods of cytologic diagnosis.