gms | German Medical Science

By CGH, we could reveal recurrent patterns of DNA imbalances in lung cancer. The aim of this study was to establish correlations between the DNA content as an indicator of chromosome numbers/aneuploidy and morphological parameter. In total, 145 lung cancer of all major histological subtypes were reclassified according to the following morphological parameters: nuclear and mitosis size (small, medium, large), presence of giant nuclei, tripolar or tetrapolar mitosis, giant cells, clear cells, spindle cells, tumor heterogeneity, apoptosis, necrosis. In addition, static DNA-image cytometry was applied using single cell suspensions after Feulgen stain. In comparison of the different subtypes, small cell lung carcinomas clearly showed the least DNA content (DNA index mean of 1,88c) being highly significantly different from adenocarcinomas (3,07c), large cell lung carcinoma (3,25c) and squamous cell carcinoma (3,41c). Among others, there were highly significant correlations between nuclear size and the DNA modal value (p=0,002) as well as DNA index mean (p=0,001). The presence of giant nuclei was strongly associated with the 5c exceeding rate (5cER, p<0,001), tetrapolar mitosis with DNA index mean (p=0,003), and between the size of mitosis and the DNA index mean (p=0,001). Thus, chromosomal changes and DNA content of lung cancer are strongly reflected by morphology. The application of distinct cytological parameters as indicators of genomic alterations does allow a better stratification and classification of lung cancer.