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Interferon-alpha produces sustained cytogenetic responses in chronic myelogenous leukemia. Philadelphia chromosome-positive patients.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the frequency and the course of complete cytogenetic responses in interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha)-treated patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia. DESIGN: Two prospective trials in consecutive patients. SETTING: A major tertiary cancer center. PATIENTS: Ninety-six consecutive patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia with disease duration of less than 1 year. INTERVENTION: Patients received partially pure IFN-alpha intramuscularly, from 3 to 9 million U/d (51 patients) or recombinant IFN-alpha 2a (Roferon, Hoffmann-LaRoche, Inc., Nutley, New Jersey), 5 million U/m2 body surface area daily (45 patients). MEASUREMENTS: Hematologic and cytogenetic tests were administered. MAIN RESULTS: Seventy of the patients (73%) achieved hematologic remission (95% CI, 63% to 81%), and 18 (19%) had complete suppression of the Philadelphia chromosome on at least one cytogenetic test. A complete cytogenetic response was induced in 7 of 51 or 14% (CI, 6% to 26%) of the patients treated with the partially pure IFN-alpha and in 11 of 45 or 24% (CI, 13% to 40%) of the patients treated with recombinant IFN-alpha 2a. The difference in complete cytogenetic response between the two groups was 10.7% (CI, - 5% to 26%; P greater than 0.2). Eleven patients had durable, ongoing, complete cytogenetic responses from 6 to more than 45 months (median, more than 30 months). CONCLUSION: This study was the first to show sustained, complete cytogenetic responses in a subset of patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia treated with single-agent therapy. The nature of this remission, that is, whether it depends on continuous therapy, requires further study.

Adult↗

[Hematologic and cytogenetic response to treatment in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia].

BACKGROUND: The Interferon alpha therapy increases the number of cytogenetic responses in patients with chronic myeloic leukaemia. The addition of cytarabine can reduce the number of Ph positive metaphases. The achievement of cytogenetic response is connected with longer survival of patients with chronic myeloic leukaemia. The aim of the study was the evaluation of the achievement of hematologic and cytogenetic response as well as adverse effects of the treatment in chronic myeloic leukaemia patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: The followed was the group of 87 previously untreated CML Ph positive patients. 34 patients with the median age of 44.6 years were treated with hydroxyurea, 42 patients were treated with single interferon alpha and 11 patients with the median age of 41.3 years with the combined interferon plus cytarabine therapy. The complete hematologic remission occurred in only 17.5% of patients treated with hydroxyurea, but in 35.7% treated with interferon and in 54.5% patients treated with the combined therapy. The cytogenetic response we have not found in any of hydroxyurea treated patients, in the group of interferon alpha in 38%. The highest number of cytogenetic responses was in the group treated with interferon plus cytarabine. As we have expected, the addition of cytarabine increased hematotoxicity and gastrotoxicity. CONCLUSION: Based on the published date, that show a better survival of patients with the achieved cytogenetic response as well as the higher number of cytogenetic responses in the group of interferon plus cytarabine therapy from our observation, we believe, that combined therapy should be suitable as a front-line therapy of chronic myeloic leukaemia patients.

Adolescent↗

[Molecular cytogenetic studies of chromosomal abnormalities and disorders in nervous and mental diseases: search for biological markers for diagnosis].

Molecular cytogenetic and cytogenetic studies of chromosomal disorders in patients with nervous and mental disorders were conducted using currently available approaches, including fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with an original collection of centromeric, telomeric, region-specific DNA probes. A novel in situ hybridization protocol for rapid (15-30 min) chromosomal detection procedure and directly fluoresceinated DNA probes are recommended for use in mental retardation and congenital malformations. Chromosomal abnormalities could be detected in postnatal cases with chromosomal structural rearrangements, aneuplodies of gonosomes (including mosaicisms) and autosomes (including marker chromosomes). Molecular cytogenetics (or FISH diagnosis) can be used when classical cytogenetic methods are insufficient. The authors' experience shows that FISH should be utilized only as an adjunctive test for classical cytogenetic studies when banding techniques are ineffective; cytogenetic methods should be utilized for the preclinical diagnosis of Rett's syndrome. Detection by original probes gives an additional possibility in FISH analysis. Molecular cytogenetic methods are shown to provide a rapid accurate approach to studying and diagnosing chromosomal anomalies and disorders in mental retardation with congenital malformations and Rett's syndrome in children and to exploring aneuploidies in the postmortem cell samples from schizophrenic patients.

Adult↗

Morphologic, flow cytometric and cytogenetic evaluation of bone marrow involvement in B-cell lymphoma.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Flow cytometric immunophenotypic analysis (FC) and cytogenetic analysis are essential techniques for the diagnosis and classification of many hematologic disorders. The roles of these analyses in B-cell lymphoma to detect bone marrow (BM) involvement in clinical staging and to evaluate the effectiveness of treatments have not yet been determined. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of FC and cytogenetic analysis in the assessment of BM involvement in B-cell lymphoma. DESIGN AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the usefulness of three-color FC and cytogenetic analysis in detecting BM involvement by examining 104 BM specimens from patients with B-cell lymphoma. RESULTS: By morphologic evaluation of BM biopsy (BMB), the BM was involved in 11 specimens (10.6%), not involved in 92 specimens (88.5%) and involvement could not be determined in 1 specimen (0.9%). FC identified a monoclonal B-cell population in 24 samples (23.1%). FC detected BM involvement in all but one BMB positive sample, and showed negative results in a BMB undetermined sample. Conclusively, FC found a monoclonal B-cell population in 14 of 92 BMB negative samples (15.2%). In particular, FC detected smaller amounts of BM involvement than did morphologic evaluation. Cytogenetic analysis revealed clonal abnormalities in only 9 of 104 samples (8.7%). However, 2 of these 9 samples were from patients with aggressive lymphoma with complex structural chromosomal abnormalities detectable only by cytogenetic analysis. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS: Although morphologic evaluation of adequate amounts of BMB specimens remains essential for the evaluation of BM involvement, three-color FC is more sensitive in detecting BM disease than morphologic or cytogenetic analysis. Cytogenetic analysis seems to have low sensitivity and specificity, but this method may improve the detection of BM involvement in a small number of aggressive lymphomas that have many mitotic cells.

B-Lymphocytes↗

Cytogenetics for detection of minimal residual disease in acute myeloblastic leukemia.

Bone marrow samples collected from acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) patients in complete clinical and hematological remission were studied for the persistence of cytogenetic abnormalities. AML patients from the three favorable cytogenetic categories [inv 16, t(8;21) and t(15;17)] and patients from the unfavorable cytogenetic categories (+8, -5, -7 and Philadelphia-positive) were studied. Seventy-one patients had evaluable metaphase spreads in remission marrows and 20 (28%) had one or more abnormal metaphases identical to that present in the pretreatment marrow. All 20 of these patients relapsed within 78 weeks, thus there were no false positive studies. Fifty-one patients had only diploid metaphases in their complete remission marrow, 25 relapsed, and 21 remained in continuous complete remission. Thus there was a 49% false negative rate of this study. These data indicate that the failure to detect residual chromosomally abnormal cells in the bone marrow does not guarantee continuous complete remission. Cytogenetic study was most useful in the favorable cytogenetic groups and least useful in the unfavorable groups. The persistence of normal metaphases in pretreatment marrows did not affect outcome or risk of recurrence. Twenty-five of 34 evaluable patients who relapsed after remission had either the identical cytogenetic abnormality present in the pretreatment marrow or showed the identical abnormality with additional chromosomal changes. Thus study indicates that cytogenetic examinations of complete remission bone marrow samples in patients with AML provides an objective method for detecting residual leukemia, and identifies patients with a potential for prolonged disease-free survival.

Bone Marrow↗

Cytogenetic diagnosis of cancer from body fluids.

Serous effusions from 50 patients suspected of having cancer were subjected to cytogenetic analysis by the use of a simple direct technique. Within 24 hours the specimens were reported as unsatisfactory or as positive or negative for malignancy, according to specific chromosomal criteria, which included hypodiploidy. Reports were sent directly to referring clinicians, who also received independently derived findings from routine cytologic study. The value of cytogenetic analysis was clearly shown in this situation, in which the chromosomal findings took the form of an independent second opinion in clinical assessment. There were no false-positive results in any of the 16 cases diagnosed by cytogenetic analysis. Furthermore, in six of these, the initial cytologic report was equivocal, and the repeat sample from three of these failed to yield material suitable for a definite cytologic diagnosis of malignancy. Negative cytogenetic findings also supported the use of cytogenetic analysis as an adjunct to cytologic examination: 23 of the 24 negative cytogenetic reports proved to be accurate, whereas in 8 of these cases the first cytologic report was equivocal. There was one cytogenetic false negative, in which, after retrospective analysis, chromosomal criteria of malignancy were found.

Aneuploidy↗

[Cytogenetic study of 121 patients suffering from various hematologic neoplasms using the in situ hybridization technique].

PURPOSE: In situ hybridization (ISH) is an efficient tool for detecting chromosomal abnormalities in haemopoietic malignancies. Structural and numerical changes typical of most pathological entities can be detected using chromosome-specific probes on interphase or metaphase cells by means of this technique. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this report we present chromosome analysis combining conventional cytogenetics with ISH in 121 patients affected with different haematological diseases. We have studied 92 patients with B-chronic lymphoproliferative disorders (B-CLPD), 11 myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), 17 acute nonlymphocytic leukaemias (ANLL), 1 acute lymphocytic leukaemia and 1 aplastic anaemia. The ISH was carried out with two kind of biotin-labeled probes: a) 8 and 12 centromeric alpha satellite probes and b) whole painting chromosome (WPC) library probes from all the chromosomes except numbers 10, 16, 21, X and Y. RESULTS: The cytogenetic analysis of B-CLPD has been hampered by several problems. These leukaemic cells have very low spontaneous mitotic activity and the cell response to mitogens is often poor, unpredictable and variable. Even so, an extra chromosome 12 (+ 12) is one of the most frequent abnormal karyotypes reported. ISH and chromosome 12 specific biotinylated alpha satellite DNA probe was applied in 84 patients with B-CLPD. Among 50 patients with typical chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) the ISH studies showed two signals of hybridization in the 50 cases. By conventional cytogenetics 9 out of 18 atypical CLL showed chromosomal abnormalities and 7 of them trisomy 12. ISH detected trisomy 12 in 11 of these cases. Trisomy 8 is the most frequent karyotypic change in MDS and ANLL. Cytogenetic results revealed a clear extra copy of chromosome 8 in 13 cases. In all of these trisomic cases, the presence of trisomy 8 clone was confirmed by ISH. ISH revealed trisomy 8 not detected by conventional cytogenetics in 7 cases. The yield of trisomy is much higher with the ISH technique than with conventional cytogenetics. Finally, conventional cytogenetics combined with CISS (chromosomal in situ suppression) hybridization was performed in 15 patients affected with different haematological diseases showing structural aberrations, complex karyotypes or marker chromosomes. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that ISH can detect both numerical and structural chromosome changes with high specificity and reliability. The fact that chromosome spreads of very poor quality can now be included in such analysis is the decisive advantage of this approach.

Biotin↗

Acute myeloid leukemia in the elderly: assessment of multidrug resistance (MDR1) and cytogenetics distinguishes biologic subgroups with remarkably distinct responses to standard chemotherapy. A Southwest Oncology Group study.

Compared with younger patients, elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) respond poorly to conventional chemotherapy. To determine if this poor response is due to differences in the biologic characteristics of AML in the elderly, we studied 211 patients (161 de novo, 50 secondary AML) over 55 years of age (median, 68 years) registered to a single clinical trial for previously untreated AML (SWOG 9031, Phase III randomized trial of standard dose cytosine arabinoside and daunomycin + rhG-CSF). Pretreatment leukemic blasts were karyotyped and were also analyzed for intrinsic drug resistance by quantitating expression of the multidrug resistance glycoprotein MDR1 and functional drug efflux using sensitive flow cytometric techniques. Results were correlated with clinical variables and outcome. These elderly AML patients had a high frequency of unfavorable cytogenetics (32%), MDR1 protein expression (71%), and functional drug efflux (58%); each of these factors occurred at high frequencies in both de novo and secondary AML patients and was associated with a significantly poorer complete remission (CR) rate. In multivariate analysis, secondary AML (P = .0035), unfavorable cytogenetics (P = .0031), and MDR1 (P = .0041) were each significantly and independently associated with lower CR rates. Resistant disease was associated with unfavorable cytogenetics (P = .017) and MDR1 expression (P = .0007). Strikingly, elderly MDR1(-) de novo AML patients with favorable/intermediate cytogenetics had a CR rate of 81%; with increasing MDR1 expression, CR rate decreased in this cytogenetic group. MDR1(+) secondary AML patients with unfavorable cytogenetics had a CR rate of only 12%. Thus, AML in the elderly is associated with an increased frequency of unfavorable cytogenetics and MDR1 expression, both of which independently contribute to poor outcomes. The high frequencies of these features in both de novo and secondary elderly AML patients suggest a common biologic mechanism for these leukemias distinct from that in younger patients. Investigation of biologic parameters at diagnosis in AML in the elderly may help identify patients with a high likelihood of achieving CR with conventional regimens, as well as those who may require alternate regimens designed to overcome therapy resistance.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

Prognostic value of cytogenetic analysis in human cerebral astrocytomas.

Cytogenetic analysis has become an important part of the diagnostic evaluation of most hematological neoplasms. However, there is limited information on the value of cytogenetic analysis in most solid tumors, including cerebral astrocytomas. This report summarizes a prospective cytogenetic study of 99 human cerebral astrocytomas, 16 mixed oligoastrocytomas, and 2 gliosarcomas. The cytogenetic procedure involved in situ culture and robotic harvesting techniques. Correlative clinical and survival data were available on all patients. We successfully cultured and obtained suitable metaphases in 107 of the 117 tumors. One or more chromosomally abnormal clones were observed in 72 tumors, and nonclonal or normal karyotypes were observed in 35 tumors. In a multivariate analysis, survival time was significantly better in patients whose tumors had normal or nonclonal karyotypes on cytogenetic analyses than in those whose tumors had clonal abnormalities (p = 0.0071). Our study demonstrates that cytogenetic analysis provides independent prognostic information in patients with cerebral astrocytomas.

Astrocytoma↗

Efficacy of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation depends on cytogenetic risk for acute myeloid leukemia in first disease remission: a metaanalysis.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) from a human leukocyte antigen-identical sibling donor remains controversial for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in first complete disease remission (CR1). Because the karyotype identified at diagnosis is the most relevant prognostic factor for AML, it should be possible to assess the efficacy more accurately on the basis of cytogenetic risk. METHODS: The authors performed a metaanalysis of five studies, which employed both natural randomization based on donor availability and intention-to-treat analysis, with overall survival as an outcome of interest. Metaregression analysis was then performed to identify the efficacy for patients stratified into the favorable, intermediate, and poor cytogenetic risk groups. RESULTS: For the entire cohort, there was a statistically significant advantage with allo-HSCT in terms of overall survival with a summary hazard ratio of 1.15 (95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.32, P = 0.037) for the random-effect model. Metaregression analysis showed a significant coefficient of +0.24 for the poor cytogenetic risk group, and -0.25 for the favorable cytogenetic risk group, indicating that the benefit of allo-HSCT was further increased for the former, and lost for the latter. The coefficient for the intermediate cytogenetic risk group was +0.09, and was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggested that the efficacy of allo-HSCT for patients with AML in CR1 depended on cytogenetic risk. The beneficial effect of allo-HSCT was yielded for the poor risk group, and probably for the intermediate risk groups, but was absent for the favorable risk group.

Acute Disease↗

Cytogenetic characterization of tumors of the vulva and vagina.

Neoplasms of the vulva and vagina account for less than 5% of all female genital tract cancers. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) represents more than 70% of the cases in both locales, followed by melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, Paget's disease, and other carcinoma subtypes. Until recently, only few cases had been analyzed by chromosome banding techniques and karyotyped, and also the number subjected to molecular cytogenetic analysis remains low. To understand better the genetic changes harbored by the neoplastic cells in cancer of the vulva and vagina, we analyzed cytogenetically 51 such tumors, finding karyotypic abnormalities in 37. All tumors were analyzed by G-banding, sometimes supplemented by multicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization, and a subset of tumors was also analyzed by comparative genomic hybridization. The two cytogenetically abnormal cases of Paget's disease both had two clones, one with gain of chromosome 7 as the sole change, the other with loss of the X chromosome among, in one case, other aberrations. The four cytogenetically abnormal malignant melanomas (three of the vulva, one of the vagina) presented complex karyotypes with aberrations involving different chromosomes but most often chromosome 1, specifically 1p12-q41. In the 31 cytogenetically abnormal SCCs, different clonal karyotypic abnormalities were seen. Intratumor heterogeneity with multiple clones was observed in 11 cases. The clones were cytogenetically unrelated in eight tumors but related in three, indicating that in the latter clonal evolution had taken place from a single malignantly transformed cell. The main chromosomal imbalances were gains of, or from, chromosome arms 3q, 5p, 8q, 9q, and 19q, and loss from 11q. Breakpoint clusters were seen in 11q13-23, 2q22-35, and 19q13, as well as in the centromeres and pericentromeric bands of chromosomes 3, 8, 9, 13, 14, and 22.

Carcinoma in Situ↗

Conventional cytogenetics of myeloproliferative diseases other than CML contribute valid information.

In chronic myeloproliferative disorders other than CML (CMPD) recurrent cytogenetic abnormalities occur, but specific patterns of chromosomal aberrations in the specific entities have so far not been detected. Thus, the value of conventional cytogenetics in the routine diagnostic setting of CMPD remains to be clarified. We performed a cytogenetic study on 409 patients with different CMPD [polycythemia vera, essential thrombocytosis (ET), idiopathic osteomyelofibrosis, chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (proliferative subtype), idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES), myeloproliferative syndrome (unclassifiable)] and on 102 patients with suspected CMPD. Cytogenetic abnormalities occurred in different frequencies ranging from 3 to 40% depending on the subtype, and showed some specific differences with respect to their type. The highest frequency and the most complex pattern of clonal aberrations were observed in idiopathic osteomyelofibrosis. However, clonal aberrations were also found in 10% of patients with suspected CMPD establishing the diagnosis of a malignant disease. In conclusion, cytogenetics are essential in the routine diagnostic setting of CMPD or cases suspicious for CMPD. In ET and in HES the aberration rate was only 3 and 7%, respectively. Thus, cytogenetics can be omitted. However, in some of these cases molecular procedures should be integrated into the routine diagnostic process.

Adult↗

A grading system for bone marrow cytogenetics and its use as a standard for quality control.

A grading system has been developed to assess the quality of the results of bone marrow cytogenetic procedures. The results of 3 1/2 years use of this grading system are reported. This grading system is a satisfactory internal standard for quality control and is adaptable for use as an external standard. The use of such an internal standard will improve the performance of the cytogenetics laboratory and will validate the quality of the results of cytogenetic examination. The use of an external standard will stimulate the standardization and improvement of cytogenetic laboratory techniques and may be used to develop performance standards for accreditation of both bone marrow and other cytogenetic laboratories. Internal and external quality controls have been used in general medical laboratories for many years, and their use should be instituted by cytogenetic laboratories as well.

Bone Marrow↗

Association of histologic features and cytogenetic abnormalities in ectopic pregnancies.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between specific histologic features and cytogenetic abnormalities in ectopic pregnancies. DESIGN: Blinded histologic analysis. SETTING: University hospital. PATIENT(S): Fifty-four patients with ectopic pregnancy for whom successful karyotypes and sufficient histologic material were available. INTERVENTION(S): Histologic evaluation of chorionic villi from ectopic pregnancies was done by two pathologists who were unaware of the cytogenetic outcome. Seventeen histologic features were evaluated: villus size, villus contour, ghost villi, hydropic villi, trophoblastic hyperplasia, trophoblastic hypoplasia, syncytial knots, Hofbauer cells, blood vessels, trophoblastic lacunae, trophoblastic inclusions or cisterns, degeneration, fibrohyalinization, microcalcifications, and perivillous and intervillous fibrin deposits. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): The association between histopathologic features and cytogenetic outcome. RESULT(S): The presence of ghost villi and intervillous or perivillous fibrin was found to be associated with cytogenetic abnormalities. These features are associated with previous fetal cell death. CONCLUSION(S): This study does not support an association between specific histologic features of chorionic villi and cytogenetic abnormalities in ectopic pregnancies. The only histologic features that were associated with cytogenetic abnormalities (i.e., ghost villi and intervillous and perivillous fibrin) are merely a result of previous fetal cell death.

Adolescent↗

Cytogenetic and molecular detection of residual leukemic cells after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in chronic granulocytic leukemia.

Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is a therapeutic modality with a curative potential for chronic granulocytic leukemia. Approximately 20% of patients have a hematologic relapse after BMT. The frequency of cytogenetic or molecular relapse (or both), despite hematologic remission, is reportedly higher. We performed allogeneic BMT in 32 patients with chronic granulocytic leukemia by using unmanipulated donor marrow and a conditioning regimen that consisted of cyclophosphamide and total-body irradiation. Of these 32 patients, 23 had cytogenetic studies after BMT. Seven of these patients had cytogenetically detectable Philadelphia chromosomes some time after BMT, during hematologic remission. The Philadelphia chromosome was detected transiently in two patients, and the fraction of abnormal metaphases exceeded 25% in three patients. None of the patients with negative results of cytogenetic studies or with the presence of the Philadelphia chromosome in less than 25% of analyzed metaphases had a clinical relapse, whereas two of the three patients with more than 25% abnormal metaphases had clinical relapses. Our results suggest that the detection of more than 25% abnormal metaphases during cytogenetic studies for chronic granulocytic leukemia after BMT may imply an incipient clinical relapse. We review the current literature that discusses isolated cytogenetic or molecular relapses of chronic granulocytic leukemia after BMT.

Academic Medical Centers↗

Comparative cytogenetic and DNA flow cytometric analysis of 242 primary breast carcinomas.

The cytogenetic and DNA flow cytometric findings in 242 breast carcinomas were compared. The combined use of both techniques improved the detection of abnormal cell populations from 65% by cytogenetic analysis alone and 59% by DNA flow cytometric analysis alone to 84%. Informative and comparable cytogenetic and flow cytometric data were obtained for 155 tumors. Among these 155 tumors, there was good concordance (64%) between the estimates of genomic changes by the two methods. Most discrepancies were among the DNA-diploid cases, where cytogenetic analysis detected small genomic changes. There were, however, also some exceptions in which large genomic changes detected by one method were missed by the other. Of the specific breast cancer-associated cytogenetic aberrations subjected to separate correlation analysis, polysomy for chromosome 20 was significantly associated with a high S-phase fraction, whereas loss of the long arm of chromosome 16 and/or the presence of a der(1;16) were significantly associated with a low S-phase fraction. Our data show that cytogenetic and DNA flow cytometric analyses of breast carcinomas give largely comparable results, and that combining data from both methods significantly improves the information obtained by either technique used alone on the genetic abnormalities in these tumors.

Breast Neoplasms↗

The collecting duct carcinoma of the kidney: a cytogenetical study.

OBJECTIVES: The Heidelberg classification of renal tumours identifies five histotypes of renal cancer, underlining for two of them (conventional and papillary renal cancers) a strict relation between the morphological aspect and the complement of alterations evidenced by the cytogenetic analysis of the neoplastic karyotype. Due to its low incidence, the collecting duct carcinoma (CDC) has not yet been characterized from a cytogenetic point of view. This study analyses the clinical, morphologic and cytogenetic features of the CDC observed and treated in our department. METHODS: From January 1995 to December 2002, among the 591 patients who underwent surgery for renal cancer, we observed 11 cases of CDC (prevalence 1.9%) treated either by radical (9 cases) or partial nephrectomy (2 cases). During radical nephrectomy a loco-regional lymphadenectomy was always performed. In the 9 cases observed after 1997, a complete cytogenetic analysis of the neoplastic karyotype was carried out. RESULTS: At pathological examination the disease was found to be confined to the renal capsule (TNM 1997 stage 1) in only 3 patients; venous neoplastic trombosis and nodal metastasis were present in 3 and 6 cases respectively; 2 patients showed distant metastases (lung, bone). Two of the patients affected with stage 1 tumours are still alive with no evidence of the disease at 48 and 88 months after surgery, while the third died following the systemic progression of a concomitant bladder carcinoma. One patient with stage 4 tumour (no. 11) is alive, but the follow up time is still limited (2 months). All the other 7 patients are dead after a mean survival time of 16.3 months (range 0-45). As for cytogenetic analysis, 2 CDCs didn't grow in culture and in one case no karyotype alterations were reported. In the remaining 6 cases hypodiploid stemlines and a homogeneous chromosome alteration pattern were observed, with multiple numerical and structural aberrations (mean 11.1, range 7-15) and the continuous involvement of chromosomes 1 and X or Y, both as traslocation and deletion/monosomy. Additional abnormalities of chromosomes 22 and 13 were found to be common but less frequent. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical behaviour of the CDC is aggressive and its prognosis is surely poor; surgical treatment seems to be curative only for organ-confined cancer, accounting for the minority of cases. This neoplasm is cytogenetically characterized by hypodiploid stemlines with common involvement of chromosome 1 and the autosomes.

Aged↗

Discrepancies of DNA content of various solid tumours before and after culture measured by image analysis. Comparison of cytogenetical data.

Parallel cytophotometric ploidy studies and cytogenetic analysis were performed on 15 various human solid tumours. The quantification of DNA by image analysis was carried out on cytological imprints of fresh tumours and on smears obtained after cell culture. The results obtained by both sets of calculations were compared with each other and with the cytogenetic results. 6 cases (40%) showed concordance between the 3 techniques. One case was aneuploid for both DNA image analysis measurements but the cytogenetic data showed only a diploid stem line. In 3 cases out of 15 (20%), smears DNA analysis and cytogenetic results were concordant: in 2 tumours, the culture step failed to preserve aneuploid stem lines that were present in the imprint analysis. In the third one, a minority tetraploid peak observed after culture was absent on the imprint slide. Concordance between imprints and cytogenetic data and discordance with smears' analysis was observed in 3 cases (20%). These 3 cases were diploid or near diploid but the DNA analysis on the smears after culture showed an aneuploid stem line in each case. The last 2 cases showed a total disagreement between the 3 techniques. By measuring the DNA content with an image analyser, the observer can ensure that only tumoral cells are taken into account. The present study revealed that cytogenetic data represent only about 60% of the population that is effectively present in the culture dish and that the cultured population represents only 47% of the population present on the fresh tumour imprint.

Cells, Cultured↗