Background/Aim: The prognostic significance of DNA ploidy patterns of colorectal cancer has not yet been settled. The present study was designed to determine the prognostic value of DNA ploidy patterns for colorectal adenocarcinomas after curative resection. Methods: DNA ploidy patterns of 140 colorectal adenocarcinomas were determined by DNA flow cytometry, and the prognostic significance of DNA ploidy patterns was evaluated by univariate as well as multivariate analysis. Results: DNA ploidy patterns were diploid in 75 (53.6%) and aneuploid in 65 patients (46.4%). DNA ploidy patterns did not correlate with any of conventional prognostic variables. Univariate analysis disclosed that Dukes B2, C1, and C2 stages of the disease (p < 0.01), positive nodal metastases (p < 0.01), invasion through the intestinal wall (p < 0.01), and poor tumor differentiation (p < 0.05) were associated with worsened survival, but no correlation was found between DNA patterns and survival of patients. Multivariate analysis disclosed that tumor penetration through the bowel wall was associated with poorer survival of patients but the DNA ploidy pattern had no prognostic significance. Conclusions: A significant prognostic variable for patients after curative resection of colorectal adenocarcinoma was penetration of tumor through the bowel wall but not DNA ploidy patterns.

Keywords:
Colorectal carcinoma, DNA ploidy patterns, Prognosis
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