Lymphoma associated chromosomal abnormalities can easily be detected by FISH on tissue imprints. An underused diagnostic alternative.
BACKGROUND
Fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) is useful for detecting specific chromosomal abnormalities in various tumours. In lymphomas, diagnosis is frequently made using paraffin wax embedded tissue. However, FISH performed under these conditions presents potential technical problems and difficulties in interpretation.


OBJECTIVE
To show that FISH using tissue imprints and cytopreps or alternatively, bone marrow (BM) smears, constitutes an easy and rapid strategy to overcome these constraints.


METHODS
The study comprised 46 patients with lymphoma. Sixty nine tissue imprints, cytopreps, or BM smears were analysed by FISH. Dual colour, dual fusion FISH probes were used to detect the t(8;14), t(11;14), and t(14;18) translocations, whereas a dual colour breakapart FISH probe was used to detect chromosomal translocations involving the BCL6 gene.


RESULTS
Tissue imprints and cytopreps were successfully hybridised in all 52 cases, whereas hybridisation was successful in 16 of 17 archival BM smears. All patients could be analysed to identify either the presence or absence of chromosomal translocations.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of tissue imprints, cytopreps, or BM smears to identify chromosomal abnormalities by FISH is a rapid and useful ancillary approach for diagnostic purposes. Therefore, it could be used on a routine basis whenever fresh samples are available.
Buño
I
I
Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, Hospital G.U. Gregorio Marañón, C/ Doctor Esquerdo 46, 28007 Madrid, Spain.
Nava
P
P
Alvarez-Doval
A
A
Alvarez-Rodríguez
F
F
Díez-Martín
J L
JL
Menárguez
J
J
D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology; D002880:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 11 / Q000235:genetics; D002883:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 14 / Q000235:genetics; D002887:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18 / Q000235:genetics; D002898:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 8 / Q000235:genetics; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D051560:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-6; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics; D014178:Translocation, Genetic
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D051560:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-6; D014157:Transcription Factors