USE OF A COMPUTED KARYOMETRIC ANALYSIS FOR STUDYING TRANSITIONAL CELL CARCINOMAS OF THE URINARY BLADDER

Abstract

THE AIM of the investigation was to study karyometric features of the cells of transitional cell carcinomas of the urinary bladder, to compare them with clinical data, invasion depth and the degree of cancer differentiation. PATIENTS AND METHODS. Materials of clinical examinations of 12 patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder were studied retrospectively. The carcinoma invasion depth Tis, Ta, T1, T2, T3 and Tx was detected in 1(7%), 4 (29%), 1(7%), 1(7%), 1(7%) and 6(43%), the differentiation degree G1, G2 and G3 – in 8(57%), 4(29%) and 2(14%) preparations respectively. In the postoperative period recurrences were noted in 6(50%) patients, the average duration of the recurrence-free period was 4±1 month. 3(25%) patients died of cancer progression. Under 250x magnification the picture of 10 fields of vision of the tumor tissue were processed with a computer using the program “Video Test Morpho 4.0”, 162 signs of cell nuclei were calculated. RESULTS. Karyometric indices were associated with the gender (p=0.05) and age of the patients (p=).004), sizes (p=0.009), multiplicity (p=0.013), invasion depth (r=0.73; p=0.04) and differentiation degree (p=0.011) of the neoplasms. Survival of the patients without progressing carcinomas proved to be associated with 92 morphometrical parameters (p<0.05). None of the signs studied pointed to the recurrent course of the disease. CONCLUSION. Karyometric features of the cells of the transitional cell carcinomas of the urinary bladder correspond to the clinical picture of the disease and morphometrical features of the tumors, and also point to the probability of progressing carcinoma after surgical treatment.