DNA Ploidy and Intravenous Tumor Thrombosis in Different Histological Types of Gastric Carcinoma

Takafumi Bandoh, Hiroshi Toyoshima, Mutsunori Fujiwara*

Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, *Department of Pathology, The Japanese Red Cross Medical Center

Controversy remains as to whether or not DNA ploidy correlates with venous invasion in gastric carcinomas. We evaluated the relationship between DNA ploidy and the extent of intravenous tumor thrombosis in different histological types of gastric carcinoma. The DNA content of 150 advanced gastric carcinomas was analyzed by flow cytometry, and the extent of tumor thrombosis was categorized into four grades by calculating the number of tumor thrombi in the veins. 83.6%, of differentiated carcinomas were aneuploid, and 66.3% of undifferentiated carcinomas were diploid with a significant difference (p<0.0001). Extensive tumor thrombosis was seen in 85.2% of differentiated carcinomas and 65.2% of undifferentiated carcinomas with a significant difference (p<0.002). Extensive tumor thrombosis was seen in 82.7% of aneuploid tumors and 62.3% of diploid tumors with a significant difference (p<0.001). Differentiated carcinomas with DNA aneuploidy showed more invasion of the veins than those with DNA diploidy (p<0.01). Aneuploid and diploid tumors are predominant in the differentiated and undifferentiated types, respectively. Tumor thrombosis is marked in differentiated carcinomas, and in aneuploid tumors. Differentiated gastric carcinomas with DNA aneuploidy invade the veins most frequently.

Key words
DNA ploidy, gastric cancer, intravenous tumor thrombosis, venous invesion, histological types

Reprint requests
Takafumi Bandoh Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, The Japanese Red Cross Medical Center
3-4-22 Hiroo, Shibuya, Tokyo, 150 JAPAN

Accepted
February 14, 1996

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