DNA/RNA content and proliferative fractions of colorectal carcinomas: A five-year prospective study relating flow cytometry to survival Journal Article


Authors: Enker, W. E.; Kimmel, M.; Cibas, E. S.; Cranor, M. L.; Melamed, M. R.
Article Title: DNA/RNA content and proliferative fractions of colorectal carcinomas: A five-year prospective study relating flow cytometry to survival
Abstract: In our prospective study, flow cytometric analysis of cellular DNA and RNA content was performed on unfixed fresh specimens of colorectal adenocarcinoma taken from 176 patients. Of the 176 tumors, 113 (64%) were aneuploid. There was no correlation between aneuploidy and tumor stage, grade, location, or size. After a median follow-up of 5.6 years, no correlation between DNA or RNA content and patient survival was found. DNA content alone was not an independent prognostic factor when the colorectal carcinomas were segregated by curable and incurable stages. However, normal mucosa, diploid tumors, and aneuploid tumors showed progressively higher proliferation and higher RNA and DNA indices. Proliferative fraction-defined as the percentage of cells in S + G2and M phases of the cell cycle-was significantly related to ploidy and to Dukes' stage. Despite these correlations, we did not detect a significant influence of proliferative fraction on survival when patients were segregated above or below the mean proliferative fraction for all tumors. More accurate methods of identifying the proliferative fraction of tumor cells are currently being pursued. While the role of flow cytometry in the evaluation and management of patients with colorectal carcinoma is still undefined for a number of other cellular parameters, it seems unlikely that DNA index, RNA index, or the proliferative fractions calculated from the DNA his togram, will, of themselves, represent independent prognostic factors. [J Natl Cancer Inst 83: 701-707, 1991] © 1991 Oxford University Press.
Keywords: survival; adult; human tissue; aged; aged, 80 and over; survival analysis; major clinical study; comparative study; flow cytometry; prospective studies; adenocarcinoma; mitosis; cell cycle; cell division; colorectal carcinoma; colorectal neoplasms; dna, neoplasm; rna, neoplasm; aneuploidy; s phase; diploidy; middle age; dna content; prognosis; human; male; female; priority journal; article; support, non-u.s. gov't; support, u.s. gov't, p.h.s.
Journal Title: JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute
Volume: 83
Issue: 10
ISSN: 0027-8874
Publisher: Oxford University Press  
Date Published: 1991-05-15
Start Page: 701
End Page: 707
Language: English
DOI: 10.1093/jnci/83.10.701
PUBMED: 2023271
PROVIDER: scopus
DOI/URL:
Notes: Source: Scopus
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MSK Authors
  1. Milicent Cranor
    48 Cranor
  2. Warren E. Enker
    70 Enker
  3. Myron Melamed
    148 Melamed
  4. Marek Kimmel
    46 Kimmel