Nuclear shape: An independent predictor of survival in patients with ovarian carcinoma

Geisler JP, Geisler HE, Wiemann MC, Givens SS, Zhou Z, Miller GA. Nuclear shape: An independent predictor of survival in patients with ovarian carcinoma. Int J Gynecol Cancer 1998; 8: 164–167. Since nuclear morphometry has recently been shown to be of prognostic value in several malignancies, including endometrial cancer, the authors attempted to see if those same morphometric features of nuclear size, shape and summed optical density had an impact on survival in patients with epithelial malignancies of the ovary. Eighty-three consecutive patients with epithelial malignancies of the ovary had their tumors studied in a quantitative manner evaluating nuclear size (NUSZ), shape (NUSH), and summed optical density (NUSD). Touch preps from this tissue were made. Patient records were examined for FIGO stage, grade, histology, as well as level of cytoreduction. The mean follow-up was 37 months (median 30 months, range 24–55 months). Multivariate analysis proved that the level of cytoreduction (P = 0.0002), FIGO stage (P = 0.025), and NUSH (P = 0.036) were independent predictors of survival. NUSH (P = 0.018) and NUSD (P = 0.020) were significantly different among the different histologic grades. Additionally, NUSH (P = 0.007) and NUSD (P = 0.001) were significantly different between patients who did and did not survive. NUSZ was not significantly related to survival, stage, grade or level of cytoreduction. In conclusion, NUSH and NUSD both appear to be important morphometric features in epithelial ovarian carcinoma. Further study concerning their applicability as prognostic factors is warranted.