Analysis of the karyotype and desoxyribonucleic acid content of uterine myomas in premenopausal, menopausal, and gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist-treated females

Abstract

To correlate the cytogenetics and the DNA content in uterine myomas. Prospective study in treated and untreated females. Tertiary University Center. Premenopausal, menopausal, and GnRH-agonist (GnRH-a)-treated patients. Myomectomy or hysterectomy. Karyotype analysis and the DNA content measured by microfluorescence technique and expressed in fluorescence units. The mean DNA content in cells from karyotypically normal and karyotypically abnormal myomas, respectively, was 37.4 +/- 6.9 and 30.4 +/- 1.8 fluorescence units in premenopausal females, 30.3 +/- 5.3 and 28.7 +/- 0.9 fluorescence units in menopausal females, and 31.6 +/- 2.7 and 32.9 +/- 5.8 fluorescence units in GnRH-a-treated females. Forty percent of the myomas evaluated demonstrated an abnormal karyotype and had a significantly lower DNA content than the chromosomally normal myomas. After GnRH-agonist treatment, the DNA content was decreased in the euploid myoma group only.