Immunohistochemistry and DNA flow cytometry in soft-tissue sarcomas.

Immunohistochemistry has a major role as an adjunct to light microscopy in the diagnosis and classification of soft tissue sarcomas. Immunohistochemical analysis of proliferation markers appears so far to add very little to accurate and experienced histologic typing of soft-tissue sarcomas. Immunohistochemical assessment of tumor suppressor genes and oncogene products gives an insight into pathogenetic mechanisms but does not appear to correlate reliably with clinical outcome. Analysis of ploidy by DNA flow cytometry does not separate benign from malignant lesions, and assessment of cell proliferation by this method does not seem to predict clinical behavior accurately.