Cellular DNA content and metastasis pattern in colorectal carcinomas.

Tissue samples from primary tumours and metastases obtained from surgical specimens and autopsies were investigated by flow cytometry for their DNA content. Of the 149 cases investigated, 124 autopsy cases of colorectal carcinoma were suitable for study. The pattern of metastatic spread in each individual case was analysed with reference to the autopsy records. A subgroup of euploid primary tumours was observed which should be considered separately with regard to its biological behavior, tumour location and extent of metastases. In these tumours, the liver was the first and final organ of haematogenic metastatic spread at an above-random frequency and a grossly metastatic liver with less than 15% of residual normal parenchyma was present at the same time. Furthermore, we observed stem-lines deviating in ploidy from the primary tumour in the metastases of nine cases. This indicates the chromosomal heterogeneity of colorectal carcinomas.