The value of the assay of chromosomes in the diagnosis of cervical neoplasia

Available studies indicate that if a direct squash technique is used, chromosomal aneuploidy is a very constant finding in invasive and in intraepithelial carcinoma of the cervix. The significance of aneuploidy in cervical epithelium in which the changes are insufficient to justify a diagnosis of cancer is therefore of theoretical and practical importance. To study this problem chromosomes of cervical epithelium were examined by the direct squash technique in 25 patients with normal or nearly normal histopathologic findings in the cervix. Very few spreads were seen in this group of cases but, when present, were diploid. Five of 6 patients with intraepithelial carcinoma had aneuploid chromosomes. Eight of 21 patients with cervical atypia also had aneuploid chromosomes. It is suggested that the present evidence favors the view that cells from a focus of cervical atypia which yield aneuploid chromosomes are malignant.