title: Comparative genomic hybridization reveals changes in DNA-copy number in poor-risk neuroblastoma.
abstract: Aggressive neuroblastoma remains a therapeutic challenge, and additional understanding of its biology is of paramount importance. Changes in DNA-copy number were analysed in the neuroblastoma cells of 27 patients using comparative genomic hybridization (CGH). Eighteen of the patients had a poor risk disease (16/18 stage IV) and 9 had a non-poor-risk disease (3/9 stage I-II, 2/9 stage III, and 4/9 stage IVS). Changes in DNA-copy number were detected in 72% of the poor-risk and 22% of the non-poor-risk tumors with gains of chromosomal material being more prevalent than losses. Gains were most common in chromosomes 2, 7, and 17 and losses in chromosome 11. Changes in DNA-copy number were multiple in all but one of the patients with poor-risk disease. The applicability of CGH in studies on the genomic changes in pediatric malignancies is demonstrated by our data also adding weight to the argument of multiple elements with oncogenic and/or tumor suppressor potential being involved in the aggressive phenotype of poor-risk neuroblastoma.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology-Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Helsinki, FIN-00029, Helsinki, Finland. kim.vettenranta@hus.fi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vettenranta
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Aalto
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wikström
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Knuutila
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Saarinen-Pihkala
mesh_terms: D000782:Aneuploidy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D002872:Chromosome Deletion; D002877:Chromosomes, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm