Quantitative Study on DNA Content in Astrocytoma

Forty one astrocytomas with different grades were studied by imagp analysis technique for measuring DNA contents. The small lymphocytes were used as normal control DNA diphoid value (2.22 ± 0.32 AU). The histograms of nuclear DNA contents were made. The results showed that the distribution of DNA contents in grade Ⅰ and Ⅱ astrocytomas was 2C-4C.The peak value of grade Ⅰ astrocytoma was2C;grade Ⅱ was 3C-4C with some hypertetraploid (28.5%). The DNA contents of grade Ⅲ and Ⅳ astrocytomas were much higher (7.13 ± 1.82 AU, 6.76 ± 0.81 AU). Their histograms were dispersive with many peaks which were aneuploid and heteroploid The data confirm that hcteroploid and aneuploid were the marks of malignancy. The grade Ⅱ gemistocytie astrocytoma has the tendency to higher malignancy.