DNA CONTENTS OF INDIVIDUAL CELLS FROM SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMAS OF THE LARYNX AND TONGUE

In previous work a new method of histologic grading of malignancy in squamous cell carcinomas of the larynx was described. It was based on morphologic criteria representing the tumor cell population itself and the tumor host relationship. Nuclear polymorphism was revealed to be a very important factor for determining prognosis. This method of histologic grading of malignancy was in this work further analyzed by cytophotometric DNA determinations on individual cells obtained by scraping the surface of squamous cell carcinomas of the larynx and the tongue. Increased heterogenous cellular DNA distributions were found in cases with high histological malignancy grading. Cells in the carcinoma cases with a normal epithelial morphology had the same DNA content as that of control cells of normal buccal mucosa. Cells with higher DNA values all had malignant or suspicious morphology.