Flow cytometric analysis of cellular DNA content as an adjunct to the diagnosis of ovarian tumours of borderline malignancy.

Flow cytometric analysis of cellular DNA content was performed on tissue from 44 borderline ovarian tumours (tumours of low malignant potential). Forty-two tumours (95%) were diploid and associated with both an indolent biological behaviour and good prognosis. Aneuploidy was identified in only 2 tumours (5%), and one of the associated patients died of progressive disease within months of the initial diagnosis. Careful review of the histopathology of these 2 aneuploid tumours revealed areas of invasion in the omental and peritoneal "implants" of each. This study has reinforced the currently advocated separation of so-called borderline tumours from invasive ovarian carcinomas and the interpretation of the pathological criteria used to categorize such neoplasms. Our results indicate that flow cytometric analysis of cellular DNA content may complement conventional histopathological diagnosis by providing an objective parameter which correlates with biological behaviour and may identify the few genuine borderline ovarian epithelial neoplasms which show clinical progression.