DNA content in cells aspirated from carcinoma of the prostate treated with oestrogenic compounds

Prostatic transcrectal fine needle aspiration biopsy and flow cytometric analysis of the single cell DNA content was carried out in 8 patients with untreated carcinoma of the prostate before and at frequent intervals during treatment with oestrogenic compounds. Before treatment, the undifferentiated tumours were characterised by hyperploid cell populations while diploid cells were found in well differentiated cases. During treatment a change towards diploid DNA distributions was observed in hyperploid cancers between 3 and 6 months after initiation of therapy. Supplementary flow cytometric DNA analysis may be of value in follow-up studies of patients with prostatic cancers particularly of more poorly differentiated types.