Solid Tumor DNA Ploidy Analysis

Flow cytometric DNA content analysis of human neoplasia provides quantitative information on DNA ploidy, clonal DNA heterogeneity, and proliferative activity. These submicroscopic features are important for the biological and clinical evaluation of tumors as demonstrated in clinical studies of a wide spectrum of human lymphoreticular and solid malignancies (1 –24 ). Although valuable, such information should not be used in isolation from other conventional diagnostic and biological parameters in the risk assessment of cancer patients.