Flow cytometric analysis of cellular DNA in human prostate cancer: relationship to 5α-reductase activity of the tissue

1434-0879

Prostate cancer ; DNA ; 5α-reductase ; Flow cytometry ; Histology ; Discriminant analysis

Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000

Medicine

Summary Flow cytometry of 20 prostate cancer specimens was carried out and the percentage DNA content in each phase of the cell cycle was correlated to the 5α-reductase activity of the tumour. A group of 20 hyperplastic specimens was also entered into this study as control. Tumours were divided into 3 groups on the basis of their 5α-reductase activity. This classification made it possible to identify a group of tumours of which none formed metastases Idiploid tumours with 5α-reductase activity greater than 20 pmol/mg protein/ 30 min and with less than 10% of the cells undergoing mitosis and a second group of which 78% had metastasised at the time of presentation (diploid tumours with 5α-reductase activity less than 10 pmol/mg protein/30 min and with more than 15% of the cells undergoing mitosis). DNA content within each of the 5α-reductase groups appeared also to correlate with the histological grade of the cancer but no relationship was established with the stage of the disease. Our results suggest that a multi factorial discriminant combining DNA ploidy and 5α-reductase measurements offers a good prognostic index for the assessment of disease progression in prostate cancer and that this might form the basis of a new approach to the treatment of this disease.

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