The nuclear DNA contents were analyzed using flow cytometry from formalin-fixed, paraffinembedded specimens for 36 carcinomas of the pancreas, of which 30 specimens obtained from pancreatic resection and 6 specimens from biopsy. Thirty-six
percent(n=13)
had an aneuploid DNA pattern, and 46%(n=23) were diploid. Aneuploid tumors were associated with poor histological differentiation (p<0.02), high S-phase fraction and proliferative index (S+G2/M fraction) (p=0.0001), and tended to be more frequent
in the
body and/or tail than in the head (p<0.03). The type of surgery (resection or palliative surgery), tumor growth status, status of regional lymph node metastases, and the proliferative index had been found to correlate with prognosis in an
univariate
analysis (p<0.03). A multivariate analysis using log-lineal regression model demonstrated that the pattern of nuclear DNA ploidy was and independent prognostic factor as strong as or stronger than the type of surgery. The survival time of diploid
tumor
was approximately two times longer than that of aneuploid tumor
(p<0.05).
The mean (±SE) survival times of the patients with resected aneuploid tumor and unresected diploid tumor were 16.9±3.9 and 14.9±4.2 months. respectively. And this difference in survival was not statistically significant. Therefore, it may be
concluded that DNA ploidy pattern appears to be one of the most important predictors of survival in patients with carcinoma of the pancreas and diploid carcinomas are associated with a longer survival than aneuploid ones.
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