FISH cytogenetics and prognosis in breast and non-small cell lung cancers.
BACKGROUND
Interphase cytogenetics by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) has been demonstrated to be a valuable diagnostic tool in effusions from patients with solid tumors. As the next step, we investigated whether certain patterns of numeric aberrations in malignant effusion cells supply prognostic information.


METHODS
From a large series of effusions from patients with solid tumors, 55 effusions from breast cancer and 39 effusions from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were classified as malignant by cytology or FISH. Tumor cells were classified as FISH aneuploid for chromosome 11 and/or 17 or as not aneuploid. Predominant cytogenetic anomalies and patterns of intratumor cytogenetic heterogeneity were brought in relation to overall survival rate.


RESULTS
There was no difference with respect to overall survival rate when effusions with or without aneuploidy for chromosomes 11 and 17 were compared. Likewise, in effusions with aneuploidy, there was no difference in overall survival rate among patients with different modal chromosome copy numbers (e.g., trisomy vs. tetrasomy 11) or among patients with a low or high grade of intratumor complexity (defined by the intratumor heterogeneity of FISH aneuploidy). In breast cancer, aneuploidy with gain of chromosome 11 was associated with a significantly superior survival rate, suggesting that amplification of chromosome 11 DNA is associated with a less aggressive phenotype.


CONCLUSIONS
Simple chromosomal changes as determined by FISH, such as gain of chromosome 11 copy numbers in breast cancer, may be prognostic. Prospective studies in primary tumors that classify distinct prognostic groups by FISH cytogenetics are warranted.
Massoner
Anita
A
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Augustin
Florian
F
Duba
Hans-Christoph
HC
Zojer
Niklas
N
Fiegl
Michael
M
D000782:Aneuploidy; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D016066:Pleural Effusion, Malignant; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate