OBJECTIVE
To correlate the cytologic grade of breast carcinoma with DNA image cytometry (ICM) and nuclear area on fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) smears.
STUDY DESIGN
In this prospective study, FNAC material from 28 breast carcinomas were studied for cytologic grade and DNA ICM. Breast carcinomas were classified as grade 1-3 (low to high). DNA histograms were classified by the modified Auer method. Degree of hyperploidy (DH), ploidy balance (PB) and nuclear area (NA) were measured on Feulgen-stained smears by a CAS 200 image cytometer. Cytologic grade was correlated with DNA ICM findings and NA.
RESULTS
There were 3 cytologic grade 1, 13 grade 2 and 12 grade 3 breast carcinomas. Seven of eight cases of hypertetraploid aneuploidy were grade 3 tumors. All cytologic grade 1 tumors were diploid. There were significant differences in DH, PB and NA in different grades of breast carcinoma (one-way ANOVA).
CONCLUSION
DNA image cytometry in combination with cytologic grading might offer additional information for the characterization of breast carcinomas diagnosed by FNAC. These observations are of particular interest with the introduction of preoperative chemotherapy.