DNA and its synthesis in individual tumor cells from human upper respiratory tract squamous cell carcinomas.

Measurements of cytophotometric Feulgen DNA content and incorporation of 3H-thymidine were made in individual tumor cells from 58 patients with squamous cell carcinomas of the head-neck region. These measurements were correlated with a point ranking system for pathological grading for these types of tumors. Two of the parameters of the grading system, mode of invasion and nuclear polymorphism which had been found to be important factors in prognosis in clinical studies were correlated to the objective cellular DNA measurements. In 40 carcinomas, 10 were found to have a predominantly diploid distribution of DNA values, while the remaining 30 tumor values were either multiples of diploid or were aneuploid. Generally, tumors with low point rankings for individual morphological parameters tended to have diploid DNA values. Those tumors with higher DNA values usually had larger point rankings and more advanced clinical stage. When tumor cells from biopsies of 39 patients were studied by 3H-thymidine incorporation, no relevant connections between the labeling index and cellular DNA amounts, malignancy grading, or clinical stage were found.