Abstract
PREVIOUS investigations have shown that according to their modal DNA content uterine and other tumours in man fall into two fairly discrete ploidy-groups1,2, and follow-up investigations in patients with uterine tumours suggest that the ploidy-group may be of prognostic significance3,4. From the size of the nuclei in histological sections of carcinoma of the cervix, it has been possible to make a correct estimate of the ploidy-group of the tumour in the majority of cases ; based on a large series of sections, 50 per cent of tumours were found to have predominantly small nuclei (corresponding to a near-diploid DNA content) and 50 per cent predominantly large nuclei (corresponding to a near-tetraploid DNA content)5. It would appear that a study of nuclear size in conditions commonly regarded as precursors of malignant disease in the cervix uteri might be of interest, and could possibly throw light on the relationship between the chromosomal changes, which appear to be a constant feature (though variable in extent) of human malignancy, and the apparently stepwise transformation of normal to malignant cervical epithelium.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Atkin, N. B., Richards, B. M., and Ross, A. J., Brit. J. Cancer, 13, 773 (1959).
Atkin, N. B., in Human Chromosome Abnormalities, edit. by Davidson, W. M., and Robertson Smith, D., 135 (Staples Press, London, 1961).
Atkin, N. B., and Richards, B. M., Brit. Med. J., ii, 1445 (1962).
Atkin, N. B., Brit. J. Radiol., 37, 213 (1964).
Atkin, N. B. (in preparation).
Spriggs, A. I., Boddington, M. M., and Clarke, C. M., Lancet, i, 1383 (1962).
Glücksmann, A., and Cherry, C. P. (personal communication).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
ATKIN, N. Nuclear Size in Premalignant Conditions of the Cervix Uteri. Nature 202, 201 (1964). https://doi.org/10.1038/202201a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/202201a0
This article is cited by
-
Individual karyotypes at the origins of cervical carcinomas
Molecular Cytogenetics (2013)
-
Die Fr�hstadien des Plattenepithelcarcinoms des Collum uteri
Archiv f�r Gyn�kologie (1968)
-
Enzymmuster benigner und maligner Veränderungen menschlicher Gewebe
Klinische Wochenschrift (1966)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.