Anaplastic thyroid cancer: cytogenetic patterns by comparative genomic hybridization.
We studied chromosomal abnormalities by comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) and flow cytometry in anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC), and when present in coexisting or previous differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). Overall 10 frozen tissues from patients with ATC and 5 cell lines (1 ATC and 4 DTCs) were analyzed. We found chromosomal abnormalities in 5 of 10 ATC tissues, with 24 abnormalities (22 gains and 2 losses). Among 8 ATCs that were associated with prior or concurrent DTC, more chromosomal abnormalities were found in ATC associated with follicular thyroid cancer (FTC) than those associated with PTC (median numbers 9.5 and 0.5, respectively, p = 0.046) or no associated differentiated thyroid cancer. Gain of 1q was relatively common in ATCs (30%). By flow cytometry, we found aneuploidy in 6 of 10 ATC tissues and diploidy in 4. There was concordance between DNA aneuploidy and the presence of chromosomal abnormalities by CGH in 4 of the 5 ATCs (p = 0.048). We also found 26 chromosomal abnormalities in an ATC cell line, 14.3 in 3 FTC cell line, and 3 in a PTC cell line. In conclusion, chromosomal abnormalities are frequent in ATCs associated with FTC, but uncommon in those associated with PTC and in ATCs with no associated differentiated thyroid cancer. These findings support the concept that PTC and FTC have different genetic backgrounds and, even after the transformation to ATC, they may retain some of their cytogenetic characteristics.
Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco/Mount Zion Medical Center, San Francisco, California 94143-1674, USA.
Daishu
D
Miura
Nobuyuki
N
Wada
Koei
K
Chin
Gregg G
GG
Magrane
Mariwil
M
Wong
Quan-Yang
QY
Duh
Orlo H
OH
Clark
D018263:Adenocarcinoma, Follicular / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology
D004273:DNA, Neoplasm