“…If we assume that there is some kind of relation between nuclear volume and DNA content in tumor cells, as proposed by V a l e r i [39], and between DNA content and chromosome ploidy, which is likely [1,10,14], then we have to consider the possibility of determining, in an indirect way, the approximate chromosome number in cells of malignant tumours by simple DNA estimation. This becomes particul arly useful if we consider that, according to A t k i n [2,3,4], A t k i n et al [13], B a d e r et al [14], H a u s c h a et al [18], P a u l e t e -V a n r e l l etal.…”