Investigation of hepatocellular carcinoma kinetics by comparing histopathological immunhistochemical and flowcytometric methods

SUMMARY INVESTIGATION OF HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA KINETICS BY COMPARING HISTOPATHOLOGICAL, IMMUNHISTOCHEMICAL AND FLOWCYTOMETRIC METHODS Kinetical studies of proliferation capacities of ten different hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases, in between the years 1984-1990, from the archives of Gazi University Pathology Dept. were done. Histologic spesifications of these cases were studied. Mitotic activity in each case was found in order to see the proliferation capacity. Immunhistochemically Anti-PCNA staining as a proliferation marker was applied. DNA content, DI and ratio of S-phase cells were calculated by Flowcytometry (FCM). No significant relation between histologic typing and proliferation parameters were found as a conclusion. Though the calculation of mitotic activity is the most simple parameter, it is found to be unsatisfactory comparing with the other methods. The anaploidy calculated by FCM showed that the group was not homogeneous and showed heterogeneity in terms of DI and S-phase cell ratio. Results of PCNA staining showed parallelism with DI and S-phase cell ratio results. It can be concluded that PCNA staining, compared to FCM, is more practical, cost effective and less time consuming, yet as reliable in studying the proliferation capacities of HCC. 49