Review of the Literature on Melanoma and Flow Cytometry
| Series | Design | No of patients | Site | Stage | Tissue | Findings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hansson et al, 198225 | PNR | 32 | Lymph node, cutaneous metastases | III, IV | Fresh and FNAC | DNA ploidy related to overall survival (NS). S-phase fraction* < 10%, better survival after diagnosis of metastases |
| Sondergaard et al, 198319 | PNR | 53 | Primary, metastases, nevi | I, II, III, IV | Fresh | DNA ploidy related to overall survival (NS) |
| von Roenn et al, 198620 | R | 87 | Primary, nevi | I | Paraffin | DNA ploidy related to disease-free survival (NS) |
| Zaloudik et al, 198828 | R | 50 | Primary (nodular) | I | Paraffin | DNA ploidy, no prognostic value |
| Kheir et al, 198817 | R | 177 | Primary | I | Paraffin | DNA ploidy* related to overall survival and disease-free survival |
| Lindholm et al, 199016 | R | 50 | Primary | I | Paraffin | DNA ploidy, no prognostic value |
| Muhonen et al, 199127 | R | 95 | Metastases | IV | Paraffin | DNA aneuploidy and low S-phase fraction, better survival with chemotherapy |
| Rode et al, 199129 | R | 26 | Primary, metastases | IV | Paraffin | DNA ploidy, no prognostic value |
| Karlsson et al, 199326 | R | 82 | Primary | III | Paraffin | DNA ploidy,* S-phase fraction* related to survival after recurrence |
| Heaton et al, 199322 | R | 56 | Lymph node | III | Paraffin | DNA ploidy* related to overall survival |
| Karlsson et al, 199630 | RR | 127 | Primary, metastases | IV | Paraffin | High S-phase fraction,* related to better response to chemotherapy and better survival |
| Present study | R | 33 | Lymph node | III | Paraffin | DNA ploidy related to overall survival (p = 0.06), S-phase not related to overall survival |
FNAC = fine-needle aspiration cytology, R = retrospective, RR = retrospective randomized, PNR = prospective nonrandomized.
↵* Statistically significant or p < 0.05