[Indices of the malignancy of cancer--is it possible to predict the recurrence or metastasis of cancer?].

The following 3 points are important clinical problems to be resolved in the management of cancer: 1. Are there any useful procedures in the diagnosis, treatment or prevention of recurrence or metastasis of cancer? 2. Can the recurrence or metastasis of cancer be predicted? 3. Are there any parameters which reflect the degree or grade of malignancy of cancer? For the diagnosis of recurrence or metastasis, tumor markers and imaging MRI are useful, especially for colorectal cancer. Radical extended resection can lead to good survival even though the tumor recurs. A randomized prospective study of 1011 gastrectomized cancer patients treated with oral OK432 showed significantly good results, especially in n(+) cases with curative resection. Prognostic stratification and risk assessment by computer analysis using Akaike Information Criteria (AIC) showed that cancerous invasion of subserosal veins (Vd) was the most important risk factor for liver metastasis of colorectal cancer. In predicting the recurrence or metastasis of cancer computer analysis by AIC appears to be a useful procedure. DNA ploidy patterns demonstrated by flow cytometry and oncogene analysis of tumor tissue have been reported and discussed as possible indices of the grade of malignancy.