title: Antiblastic treatment does not affect N-myc gene amplification in neuroblastoma.
abstract: Gene amplification has been found in the genome of cells growing in vivo and/or in vitro. In cell lines with acquired multidrug resistance gene amplification has been frequently detected. Moreover, extra-copies of cellular oncogenes have been located in tumor cells in vivo; particularly N-myc gene amplification was discovered in advanced stage of neuroblastoma (NB). Neuroblastoma, a tumor of neural origin, has a high incidence in children. N-myc amplification has been demonstrated in untreated patient and a positive significant correlation with the progression of the disease has been established. In this paper we report on four NB patients treated with a polychemotherapeutic protocol and showing N-myc amplification. One patient examined before and after treatment displayed a slight change in N-myc gene copy numbers. It was shown that N-myc gene amplification is not affected by drug activities and that minimal residual of cells bearing N-myc amplification may remain in the tumor mass. N-myc amplification can also cause advantageous cell growth in the presence of drugs. The implications in the pharmacologic management of NB patient showing N-myc gene amplification is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Oncology Research Laboratory, G. Gaslini Children's Hospital, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Tonini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Verdona
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garaventa
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cornaglia-Ferraris
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000235:genetics; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D011519:Proto-Oncogenes
chemical_list: D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins