title: Fluorescence in situ hybridization for detecting erbB-2 amplification in breast tumor fine needle aspiration biopsies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the feasibility of erbB-2 amplification analysis of fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsies.
  
  
  METHODS
  FNA smears and dissociated nuclei from 58 breast cancer samples were examined by dual-labeling fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with probes for centromere 17 and the erbB-2 gene. The results were compared with the outcome of erbB-2 immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Tumors were categorized according to the erbB-2/centromere 17 signal ratio. There were 23 tumors with high-level amplification, four cases with a low-level erbB-2 gain and 27 tumors with normal erbB-2 content. Four tumors showed an erbB-2 deletion, all in patients < or = 42 years of age. ErbB-2 amplification was strongly associated with positive erbB-2 immunostaining (P < .0001). Comparison of FISH analysis on dissociated cells and on FNA biopsies showed high correspondence (P < .0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FISH allows reliable detection of erbB-2 gene amplification on FNA biopsies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sauter
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Feichter
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Torhorst
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Moch
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Novotna
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Dürmüller
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Waldman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D018276:Carcinoma, Medullary / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D002503:Centromere; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification; D018628:Gene Dosage; D018734:Genes, erbB-2; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged