Predictive value of flow cytometric analysis in DNA contents in patients with locally advanced head and neck carcinoma

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Abstract
A restrospective study was performed on 61 eligible patients with stage III and IV (AJC/UICC Staging System) squamous carcinomas of the head and neck region who were treated with definitive radiotherapy with, or without, surgery. DNA contents were measured by flow cytometric analysis of archival paraffin blocks and were correlated with clinicopathological findings, tumour response and patient survival. Comparison of variables including treatment modality was performed for identification of significant prognostic factors. There were 28 diploid, 27 aneuploid tumours and the remaining six were questionable. All patients were followed-up for at least two years or until death.Aneuploid tumours had a significantly higher S-phase fraction (percentage S-phase) (p0 patients was 96 per cent, N1 patients 61 per cent, N2 patients 60 per cent and 43 per cent for N3 patients (p0 and N3 groups of patients was 53 per cent and 29 per cent respectively (p<0.05).