In situ hybridization of chromosome 6 on fine-needle aspirates from breast carcinomas: Comparison of numerical abnormalities and ER/PgR status and staining pattern

• Published in: Diagnostic cytopathology Vol. 16; no. 5; pp. 420 - 424
• Main Authors: Sauer, Torill, Beraki, Kahsai, Jebsen, Peter Wilhelm, Ormerod, Eli, Naess, Oddvar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01-05-1997; Wiley-Liss
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Biopsy, Needle; Breast Neoplasms - chemistry; Breast Neoplasms - genetics; Cell Nucleus - chemistry; chromosomal numerical aberration; Chromosome Aberrations; chromosome six; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 6; Coloring Agents; Digoxigenin; DNA Probes; estrogen receptor; Female; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; In Situ Hybridization; Mammary gland diseases; Medical sciences; Receptors, Estrogen - analysis; Receptors, Progesterone - analysis; Tumors; Chromosomal aberration; Human; Immunohistochemistry; Carcinoma; In situ; Estrogen; Chromosome 6; Malignant tumor; Hybridization; Aspiration punction; Estradiol; Ovarian hormone; Pathology; Mammary gland diseases; Fine needle; Cytopathology; Diagnosis; Mammary gland; Progesterone; Molecular biology; Sex steroid hormone; Hormonal receptor
• ISSN: 8755-1039; 1097-0339
• DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0339(199705)16:5<420::AID-DC7>3.0.CO;2-F

The estrogen receptor (ER) gene is located on chromosome 6. The aim of our study was to investigate whether numerical chromosomal aberrations were reflected in estrogen/progesterone receptor (PgR) status and staining pattern. Fine‐needle aspirates from 51 breast carcinomas were investigated immunocytochemically for ER/PgR and by in situ hybridization technique using digoxigenin‐labeled α‐satellite probe for chromosome 6. Cases with ≥70% two‐signal nuclei were regarded as disome; the remaining tumors showed aneusomy with a variable number of signals. Aneusomy was found in 32 tumors (63%), whereas 19 (37%) had a normal number of chromosome 6. Chromosomal gain occurred in all aneusome cases except one. ER‐ and/or PgR‐positive tumors had an equal distribution of disomy and aneusmy. Variable ER staining pattern or ER and/or PgR negativity was associated with numerical aberrations in chromosome 6 in 76% of the tumors. Cancers with uniform ER staining pattern all had normal chromosome number. Diagn. Cytopathol. 16:420–424, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.