Absorption cytometric DNA analysis of sections of gastric carcinomas and a comparison with cytofluorometry of single-cell suspensions and flow cytometry.

Measurements were made of cellular deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) content in paraffin-embedded materials from 44 gastric carcinomas, using three different methods; static cytometric light absorbance technique using tissue sections (SCM-abs), static cytometric fluorescence technique using single-cell suspensions (SCM-flu), and flow cytometry (FCM). The DNA ploidy determined by SCM-abs was grouped into low or high ploidy according to dispersion on the DNA histogram, and the DNA ploidy determined by SCM-flu and FCM was grouped into diploidy or aneuploidy, according to the peak DNA value. Accord between SCM-abs and SCM-flu or between SCM-abs and FCM was confirmed when low ploidy by SCM-abs showed diploidy by SCM-flu or FCM and high ploidy by SCM-abs showed aneuploidy by SCM-flu or FCM. An incomplete but good accord of DNA ploidy was obtained with these methods.