Objective: Automated image analysis DNA cytometry was used to predict the pathological stage in clinical stage I nonseminomatous testicular germ cell tumor patients.
Methods: Orchiectomy specimens of 74 patients (41 pathological stage I, 33 pathological stage II) were analyzed by modular image analysis computer, and several mathematical indices from the DNA histogram were calculated.
Results: The 5c-exceeding rate (rate of hyperpentaploid nuclei) was found to be significantly higher in patients with pathological stage II disease as compared with patients without metastases (p = 0.0174). Tumor tissue from lymph node metastases showed even higher amounts of hyperpentaploid nuclei (p < 0.0005). In this study, all patients with a 5c-exceeding rate above 3.1% had metastatic disease.
Conclusions: Single-cell cytophotometry was able to show significant differences in 5c-exceeding rates between patients with and without tumor metastases. Because of high standard deviations, however, it was not possible to use this parameter for correct staging in all patients.