A correlative nuclear DNA and histologic study of genital squamous lesions in DES exposed progeny.

Abstract

72 vaginal and cervical squamous lesions from 55 DES-exposed young women were analyzed using the technique of Feulgen microspectrophotometry to correlate the nuclear DNA content with histologic changes and follow-up data. A euploid pattern was observed in 23 specimens (14 cervical and 9 vaginal) histologically classified as immature squamous metaplasia. Of the 49 significant squamous abnormalities, 17 (9 cervical and 8 vaginal) were polyploid, and 32 (26 cervical, 5 vaginal, and 1 pericervical collar) were aneuploid. Most of the lesions with polyploid patterns were histologically classified as atypical metaplasia or slight dysplasia, while most of the aneuploid lesions were moderate and severe dysplasias. Conservative therapy usually eradicates polyploid lesions with no recurrence; in contrast, a high recurrence rate is seen in patients with aneuploid lesions managed with biopsy and/or therapy. The presence of abnormal mitotic figures in aneuploid lesions is the most significant histologic feature which differentiates aneuploids from polyploids. The biologic behavior of lesions can be better appreciated if histologic findings are supplemented with nuclear DNA data.