The relationship between growth rate, labelling index and histological type of human solid tumours

In vitro labelling of childhood cancers with tritiated thymidine

“…A number of studies (Fabrikant, Wisseman and Vitak, 1969;Denekamp and Kallman, 1973;Malaise et al, 1973) support the view that if groups of similar tumours are considered, then the patterns of in vitro and in vivo labelling are similar. One aim of carrying out labelling studies on human tumour tissue has been to assess the usefulness of the labelling index in predicting the response of tumours to chemotherapy and radio- therapy.…”

“…the proportion of cells which are in the phase of DNA synthesis) is generally preferred to the mitotic index for several reasons: the labelling index is a larger fraction than the mitotic index and is therefore easier to estimate accurately; labelled cells are more easily recognized and counted than mitoses; and, in the case of human tumour tissue, labelling is less likely to be affected by the trauma of surgery (Steel and Bensted, 1965). A large number of tn vitro labelling studies have beeni carried out on human tumour tissue but little information is available on the labelling properties of children's tumours (Malaise, Chavaudra and Tubiana, 1973 and a mean in vitro labelling index of 11 8%, which agrees well with the in vivo labelling index of 11.0% reported by Wagner and Kaser (1970).…”

“…There is, however, evidence to suggest a correlation between the mean labelling index of a group of similar tumours and their general response to therapy. Malaise et al (1973) divided 242 tumours into 5 histological groups which were in order of descending labelling index: embryonal tumours, " haematosarcomata" (i.e. Burkitt's lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, lymphosarcoma), mesenchymal sarcomata, squamous cell carcinomata and adenocarcinomata.…”

Percentage of cells in the S phase of the cell cycle in human lymphoma determined by flow cytometry. Correlation with labeling index and patient survival

“…Clinical follow-up ranged from 5 to 20 months. While 7 of 12 patients with tumors containing more than 5% S cells have died of lymphoma (median survival, 9 months), there has been only one death from lymphoma among 15 patients with tumors containing less than 5% S cells. The difference in survival between these two groups is statistically significant (P = 0.01).…”

“…As in other tumors, the observation of numerous mitoses usually indicates rapid tumor growth. More accurate methods to measure cell replication, such as those that measure DNA synthesis, have been applied to human lymphomas and to other solid tumors as a means of evaluating cellular growth and clinical behavior (10,15,18,21). Cellular DNA can be measured rapidly by flow cytometry (FCM) and this has been used to quantitate the number of cells in the S phase of the cell cycle (S cells) in a variety of neoplasias including the human malignant lymphomas (2, 5, 7).…”