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DNA stem line heterogeneity in esophageal cancer accurately identified by flow cytometric analysis
Author(s) -
Kaketani Kazutoshi,
Saito Takao,
Kuwahara Akihiko,
Shimoda Katsuhiro,
Miyahara Masaki,
Chikuba Kiyone,
Etoh Kaoru,
Kobayashi Michio
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(19931215)72:12<3564::aid-cncr2820721204>3.0.co;2-4
Subject(s) - dna , pathology , tumor heterogeneity , homogeneous , esophageal cancer , carcinoma , lesion , stem cell , cancer , biology , medicine , genetics , physics , thermodynamics
Background . This study was designed to evaluate the importance of DNA stem line heterogeneity in determining the malignant potential of esophageal cancer. Methods . Flow cytometric analysis of intratumor heterogeneity of DNA contents was performed on step‐sectioned slices of 57 resected esophageal carcinomas. Results . DNA stem line heterogeneity, as assessed by DNA content measurements, was present in 25 (44%) tumors; 6 (11%) were a combination of diploid and aneuploid DNA pattern, and 19(33%) had two or more aneuploid peaks with different DNA contents (multiploid). Of the remaining 32 homogeneous tumors, 4 showed only a diploid DNA pattern in all samples examined, whereas 28 tumors had only the aneuploid pattern. Tumors with the heterogeneous DNA pattern had a significantly higher frequency of lymph node metastasis than did those with the homogeneous DNA pattern ( P < 0.05). Conclusions . For evaluation of the highly malignant potential of esophageal carcinoma by nuclear DNA contents, it is important to identify accurately intratumoral heterogeneity. Because different DNA stem lines were evident in different areas of the lesion, evaluation of multiple specimens from a wide area of each lesion is needed to determine with accuracy the degree of intratumor DNA stem line heterogeneity.