Evaluation of growth rate of human transitional cell tumors according to sex chromatin (Barr bodies) content.

In 53 women with urothelial tumors of the bladder, renal pelvis and ureter of different in growth stages and grades of differentiation, a negative correlation among the value of the mitotic index and sex chromatin content was found. With a decrease in the number of nuclei containing sex chromatin bodies we have noted not only a proportional mitotic index increase but also a regular connected decrease of histological differentiation and a deeper invasion of the tumor. The significance of this simple test consists in the fact that one may judge the rate of tumor growth by the sex chromatin content in a small volume of biopsy material. A table of mitotic index values depending upon the quantity of nuclei with sex chromatin bodies in transitional cell tumors is presented.