Morphometric characteristics of cell nuclei of the precancerous lesions and laryngeal cancer.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to characterize normal epithelium, precancerous lesions and laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) with the use of nuclear morphometry. The relationship between the morphometric parameters of the cell nuclei and the pathological lesions was analyzed. In addition, a morphometric comparison was performed among normal epithelium, precancerous lesions, and cancer of the larynx.

MATERIAL/METHODS: Our research involved 12 patients after total laryngectomy. All the postoperative histological specimens consisted of laryngeal SCC, precancerous lesions (dysplasia), keratosis with mild dysplasia, and normal epithelium. The cell nuclei of the SCC, dysplasia, keratosis, and the basal and superficial layers of the normal epithelium were measured. The nuclear parameters included area, equivalent diameter, length, breadth, perimeter, mean and integrated grey levels, convex area and convex perimeter, roundness, aspect ratio and fullness ratio. For each case, 500 nuclei were studied using a Polyvar Reicher microscope connected to a Quantimet 500 computer system.

RESULTS: The relationship between karyometrical parameters and pathological lesions was found to be statistically significant. We observed the largest nuclei in keratosis lesions and the smallest in basal layers of normal epithelium. In some cases there were no significant differences between dysplasia nuclei and the superficial layers of normal epithelium.

CONCLUSIONS: Karyometrical parameters correlate with morphometrical lesions in the larynx and may be useful in the prediction of laryngeal neoplasm.