title: Chromosomal aberrations in benign and malignant bilharzia-associated bladder lesions analyzed by comparative genomic hybridization.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bilharzia-associated bladder cancer (BAC) is a major health problem in countries where urinary schistosomiasis is endemic. Characterization of the genetic alterations in this cancer might enhance our understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms of the disease but, in contrast to nonbilharzia bladder cancer, BAC has rarely been the object of such scrutiny. In the present study, we aimed to characterize chromosomal imbalances in benign and malignant post-bilharzial lesions, and to determine whether their unique etiology yields a distinct cytogenetic profile as compared to chemically induced bladder tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  DNAs from 20 archival paraffin-embedded post-bilharzial bladder lesions (6 benign and 14 malignant) obtained from Sudanese patients (12 males and 8 females) with a history of urinary bilharziasis were investigated for chromosomal imbalances using comparative genomic hybridization (CGH). Subsequent FISH analysis with pericentromeric probes was performed on paraffin sections of the same cases to confirm the CGH results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven of the 20 lesions (6 carcinomas and one granuloma) showed chromosomal imbalances varying from 1 to 6 changes. The most common chromosomal imbalances detected were losses of 1p21-31, 8p21-pter, and 9p and gain of 19p material, seen in three cases each, including the benign lesion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most of the detected imbalances have been repeatedly reported in non-bilharzial bladder carcinomas, suggesting that the cytogenetic profiles of chemical- and bilharzia-induced carcinomas are largely similar. However, loss of 9p seems to be more ubiquitous in BAC than in bladder cancer in industrialized countries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Genetics, University Hospital, SE-22185 Lund, Sweden. fadl_elmula@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Imad
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fadl-Elmula
authors.forename: Soili
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kytola
authors.forename: Mona E L
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Leithy
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abdel-Hameed
authors.forename: Nils
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mandahl
authors.forename: Atif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elagib
authors.forename: Muntaser
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.forename: Catharina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Larsson
authors.forename: Sverre
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Heim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006099:Granuloma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization / Q000379:methods; D016612:Paraffin Embedding / Q000379:methods; D012547:Schistosoma / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012552:Schistosomiasis / Q000235:genetics*; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000469:parasitology*; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000235:genetics / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm