Immortalization in culture: occurrence at a late stage in the progression of breast cancer.
The properties in culture of 3 breast cancer effusion metastases, obtained over approximately 2 years from the same patient, were examined. Despite repeated attempts with cryopreserved cells, only the last specimen reproducibly exhibited immortality in culture; the first 2 specimens grew initially but failed to develop into cell lines. Each specimen was unique in morphology and growth properties, although karyotypic markers indicated a common origin. Aberrations of chromosomes 1 and 11 marked these near-diploid cells, and further structural alterations of chromosome 11 accompanied the transition of biological properties observed in the third specimen.
Smith
H S
HS
Wolman
S R
SR
Dairkee
S H
SH
Hancock
M C
MC
Lippman
M
M
Leff
A
A
Hackett
A J
AJ
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D002455:Cell Division; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D002878:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 1; D002880:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 11; D005260:Female; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D007621:Karyotyping; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude