Background: Nuclear DNA content of a variety of tumors has proven valuable as a prognostic indicator. The purpose of this study was to analyze patterns of DNA content in primary hepatocellular carcinoma and to correlate ploidy status with patient survival.
Methods: The relationship of nuclear DNA content to host and tumor characteristics was analyzed in 46 patients with primary hepatic malignancy who had undergone resection with curative intent between 1975 and 1985.
Results: Flow cytometric measurement of tumor DNA content revealed a diploid pattern in 33%, tetraploid or polyploid in 30%, and aneuploid in 37% of cases. There was no significant correlation between tumor DNA content and demographic or pathologic findings in the patients studied. Moreover, there was no difference in survival between patients with diploid versus nondiploid tumors.
Conclusions: These findings suggest that tumor DNA content has no prognostic value in patients with primary hepatic malignancy.