Fluorescence in situ hybridization for detecting erbB-2 amplification in breast tumor fine needle aspiration biopsies.
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.
Sauter
G
G
Department of Pathology, University of Basel, Switzerland.
Feichter
G
G
Torhorst
J
J
Moch
H
H
Novotna
H
H
Wagner
U
U
Dürmüller
U
U
Waldman
F M
FM
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