Evaluation of epithelial lesions of larynx using DNA flow cytometry and proliferating cells nuclear antigen

Abstract

Cell kinetic data can be studied using proliferative cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and flow cytometric (FC) techniques. We evaluated 25 patients with T-3 transglottic laryngeal carcinoma. In the first part of the study, normal mucosa, dysplastic mucosa, and adjacent carcinoma lesions were compared. With FC, 12 of 15 dysplasia specimens and 16 of 25 carcinoma specimens were diploid. This difference is insignificant (p > 0,05). A total of 49 lesions were evaluated by PCNA immunostaining. As the tissues progressed from normal to carcinoma, PCNA expression increased significantly (p > 0,01). In the second part, we investigated the relationship between cell kinetic information and cervical metastasis. Of the lymph node positive and negative necks, 45 % and 75 % were diploid respectively. This difference is not statistically significant (p > 0,05). PCNA expression differences of negative and positive necks were also statistically insignificant (p > 0,05). These data indicate that, FC doesn't correlate with malignancy and metastasis. PCNA expression is a good indicator of malignancy but it is unsatisfactory in detecting the metastatic potential.