[Overlap behaviour as a cell-biology characteristic of cultivated ovarian cancer cells].

The in vitro growth behaviour of ovarian cancer cells is investigated regarding its ability to characterize this tumor biologically. Out of 60 patients suffering from ovarian cancer with different extension and histologic types 79 in vitro cell cultures were cultivated from either tumor biopsies, ascites or pleura effusions. The overlap index of each culture is calculated by the ratio of actually observed to as a maximum expected nuclear overlaps and is compared to parameters being acknowledged characterization of ovarian carcinomas. Correlations were found between overlap behaviour and other typical parameters such as histologic type, grading, and tumor staging. Beside some other parameters nuclear overlap index seems to be appropriate for characterization of neoplastic ovarian tumors.