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Prognostic value of nuclear DNA content in breast cancer in relation to tumor size, nodal status, and estrogen receptor content

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Summary

The prognostic value of nuclear DNA distribution pattern in relation to tumor size, axillary lymph node status, and estrogen receptor (ER) content was studied in 464 patients with primary, operable mammary adenocarcinoma. The median follow-up time was 3 1/2 years. Slide cytophotometric DNA analysis was performed on morphologically identified Feulgen-stained tumor cells. The tumors were classified into four subgroups according to their DNA histogram type. DNA content was significantly related to tumor size and ER level but not to nodal status. When all variables were stimultaneously introduced into Cox's proportional hazards model, tumor size, nodal status, and DNA profile remained as significant predictors of recurrence. Restricting the analysis to node-negative patients, both DNA profile and tumor size showed a significant prognostic value. DNA did not contribute significant prognostic information in node-positive patients. However, the trends in recurrence-free survival were similar to those in the node-negative subgroup: patients with aneuploid tumors tended to fare worse than those with euploid carcinomas.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Södersjukhuset, S-100 64, Stockholm, Sweden

    Anette von Rosen

  2. Oncologic Centre, Karolinska Hospital, S-104 01, Stockholm, Sweden

    Lars Erik Rutqvist & John Carstensen

  3. Department of Tumor Pathology, Karolinska Hospital, S-104 01, Stockholm, Sweden

    Anders Fallenius, Lambert Skoog & Gert Auer

Authors
  1. Anette von Rosen
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  2. Lars Erik Rutqvist
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  3. John Carstensen
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  4. Anders Fallenius
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  5. Lambert Skoog
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  6. Gert Auer
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von Rosen, A., Rutqvist, L.E., Carstensen, J. et al. Prognostic value of nuclear DNA content in breast cancer in relation to tumor size, nodal status, and estrogen receptor content. Breast Cancer Res Tr 13, 23–32 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01806547

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