Comparative genomic hybridization in four angiosarcomas of the female breast.
OBJECTIVE
Angiosarcomas represent a heterogeneous group of malignant vascular tumors occurring in different anatomic sites. In the female breast, they account for less than 1% of all malignant tumors and mainly develop as secondary angiosarcomas after prior irradiation. Data on cytogenetic findings in angiosarcomas are scarce and up to now no characteristic primary aberrations have been established. We herein add molecular cytogenetic findings in another 4 angiosarcomas to 11 previously reported cases.


METHODS
We investigated four angiosarcomas of the female breast (three primary angiosarcomas and one secondary tumor after irradiation for breast cancer) for DNA copy number changes using comparative genomic hybridization (CGH).


RESULTS
All angiosarcomas revealed aberrant karyotypes including multiple DNA copy number changes involving various chromosomes. Recurrent DNA copy number changes that occurred in at least two cases included gains at 1q, 7p, 7q, and 8q, as well as losses at 5q and 16q.


CONCLUSIONS
Angiosarcoma of the female breast represents a genetically heterogeneous tumor entity without a readily identifiable pattern of common chromosomal alterations. However, reviewing the cytogenetic literature on angiosarcomas of different sites, gains at 8q and 20p appear to emerge as the most frequent aberrations in at least a subset of these tumors.
Baumhoer
Daniel
D
Department of Gastroenterology and Endocrinology, University of Göttingen, 37099 Göttingen, Germany.
Gunawan
Bastian
B
Becker
Heinz
H
Füzesi
László
L
D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D005260:Female; D018628:Gene Dosage; D006394:Hemangiosarcoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D006801:Humans; D007621:Karyotyping; D008875:Middle Aged; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization