European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology

, Volume 249, Issue 3, pp 140–143 | Cite as

DNA-flow cytometry of head and neck carcinoma: the importance of uniform tissue sampling and tumor sites

  • H. A. Westerbeek
  • W. J. Mooi
  • C. Begg
  • M. Dessing
  • A. J. M. Balm
Original Investigations

Summary

Flow cytometric DNA ploidy measurements using deparaffinized tumor specimens were performed on 46 squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck, including 22 carcinomas of the oropharynx, 18 carcinomas of the larynx and six carcinomas of the oral cavity. Aneuploidy was found in 14 of these tumors with carcinomas of the larynx and oral cavity showing almost equal percentages of DNA aneuploidy (10/18 and 3/6, respectively). In contrast, only 1 of the oropharyngeal carcinomas was aneuploid. Accurate microscopy-controlled sampling of tumor tissue from the histological tissue blocks was found to be mandatory in order to obtain reliable ploidy measurements.

Key words

DNA-flow cytometry Head and neck cancer Tissue sampling 

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 1992

Authors and Affiliations

  • H. A. Westerbeek
    • 1
    • 4
  • W. J. Mooi
    • 3
  • C. Begg
    • 2
  • M. Dessing
    • 3
  • A. J. M. Balm
    • 1
    • 4
  1. 1.Department of ENT/Head and Neck SurgeryThe Netherlands Cancer Institute (Antoni van Leeuwenhoekhuis)AmsterdamThe Netherlands
  2. 2.Department of Experimental TherapyThe Netherlands Cancer Institute (Antoni van Leeuwenhoekhuis)AmsterdamThe Netherlands
  3. 3.Department of PathologyThe Netherlands Cancer Institute (Antoni van Leeuwenhoekhuis)AmsterdamThe Netherlands
  4. 4.Department of ENT/Head and Neck Surgery, Academic Medical CenterUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands

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