Objective: To explore the value of DNA-image cytometry (DNA-ICM) in diagnosis of lung cancer.
Methods: 532 cases of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and (or) bronchial brushing cytology (216 cases from lung cancer patients and 209 cases from benign lung disease patients) were detected by DNA-ICM and liquid-based cytology (LBC), respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the two methods were compared.
Results: The sensitivity and specificity of DNA-ICM were 69.2% and 100.0%, and which of LBC were 46.7% and 97.9%, respectively. The sensitivity of DNA-ICM was significantly higher than that of LBC method in the diagnosis of lung cancer (P<0.05). The sensitivity and specificity of DNA-ICM of BALF were 71.9% and 100.0%, while those of LBC were 48.2% and 98.5%. The sensitivity and specificity of DNA-ICM of bronchial brushing cytology were 62.8% and 100.0%, while those of LBC were 43.0% and 95.3%. The sensitivity of DNA-ICM of BALF and bronchial brushing cytology were higher than that of LBC method (P<0.05). There were 107 patients who underwent BALF and bronchial brushing cytology simultaneously, the sensitivity of DNA-ICM of BALF was higher than that of bronchial brushing cytology (P<0.05). Among different histologic types of the lung cancers, the sensitivity of squamous carcinoma was higher that of adenocarcinoma.
Conclusions: DNA-ICM has great application value in the diagnosis of lung cancer. DNA-ICM in combination with LBC can increase the detection rate of lung cancer. DNA-ICM of BALF is worthy of application in clinical practice.