Karyometric and DNA Content Analyses of Cancer Cells in Stage III Breast Cancer with Reference to Prognosis

Karyometric and DNA content analyses were simultaneously performed on 32 cases of stage III invasive ductal breast cancer using an image analysis system. From the karyometric analysis, the nuclear areas (NAs; microns 2) were (mean +/- SD) 36.27 +/- 9.40 in five-year survivors (n 17) and 57.14 +/- 13.26 in non-survivors (n 15). The nuclear shape factors (NSFs; NSF = 4 pi X NA/NP2; NP, nuclear perimeter) were 0.756 +/- 0.037 in survivors and 0.716 +/- 0.040 in non-survivors. The NA was significantly larger (P less than 0.01) and the NSF significantly lower (P less than 0.01) in non-survivors than in survivors. From the DNA content analysis, the DNA content values (c; see Measurements section) were +/- 2.59 +/- 0.70 in survivors and 3.72 +/- 1.08 in non-survivors. The percentages of aneuploid cells over 4c were 7.10 +/- 9.89 in survivors and 23.07 +/- 20.19 in non-survivors. The DNA content and the percentage of aneuploid cells over 4c were significantly higher (P less than 0.01) in non-survivors than in survivors. This method may be valuable for estimating the prognosis of patients with invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast.