Objective: To study the correlation between flow cytometrically measured DNA ploidy with prognostically important histopathologic groups and clinical outcome in patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma of the salivary glands.
Study design: 46 tumor specimens were analyzed flow cytometrically for DNA content and assessed for histological grade. Correlations were made between tumor DNA ploidy and histopathological grade, and disease-free and overall survival of these patients.
Results: Of the 46 patients, 31 had a cribiform/tubular histologic pattern, and 15 had a solid pattern. 84% of the tumors with cribriform/tubular pattern were DNA diploid, compared with 33% of tumors that were graded solid. This difference proved to be statistically significant (chi(2)11.75, P = 0.0006). Overall and disease-free survival periods were longer for patients with DNA diploid tumors in both groups, 63% vs. 36% and 62% vs 38%, respectively.
Conclusions: Tumor DNA ploidy correlates with prognostically important tumor histopathology as well as overall and disease-free survival in patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma of the salivary gland.
Ebm rating: B-3.