This multi‐centre analysis assessed the DNA content of TSCC in 37 young patients (<40 years) and 28 old patients (>50 years) and determined the correlation of DNA ploidy findings with clinicopathological data. Image cytometry was carried out using an automated cellular imaging system on...

This multi‐centre analysis assessed the DNA content of TSCC in 37 young patients (<40 years) and 28 old patients (>50 years) and determined the correlation of DNA ploidy findings with clinicopathological data. Image cytometry was carried out using an automated cellular imaging system on Feulgen‐stained histological sections to obtain high‐fidelity DNA histograms. Among young patients, 37.8% were females compared to 18.7% in the older group (P = 0.002). In total, 48.6% patients were non‐smokers and 40.5% were non‐drinkers compared to 10.7% non‐smokers and non‐drinkers in the older group (P < 0.0001). TNM, clinical stage of disease and histological grade of differentiation did not differ between groups. Tumour aneuploidy was detected in 86.5% and tetraploidy in 24.3% young patients; this was significantly greater than in the older group where 64.3% were aneuploid (P < 0.0001) and 7.2% tetraploid (P < 0.0001). The mean values of DNA index (DI) and DNA heterogeneity index as well as the percentage of cells with DI exceeding 5N were higher in young patients (P < 0.0001). Young patients with TSCC represent a distinct clinical entity. The high incidence of DNA ploidy abnormalities suggest that they may have increased genomic instability and indicates underlying genetic differences between TSCC in young and older patients

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