Detection of transplacental melanoma metastasis using quantitative PCR.
To choose the most appropriate treatment for children affected by a transplacental metastasis, it is crucial to ascertain the maternal origin of the tumor. Up-to-date conclusive diagnosis is generally achieved through fluorescence in situ hybridization or karyotyping analysis. Herein, we report an alternative, reliable assay for rapidly defining vertical cancer transmission to the fetus by using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Our assay indicates that quantification of the copy number of the sex chromosomes by specific short tandem repeats markers, in genomic DNA purified from the tumor biopsy cells, could be used to correctly evaluate transplacental metastasis events.
Raso
Alessandro
A
Neurosurgery Unit daggerPathology Unit, Giannina Gaslini Children's Research Hospital, Genoa, Italy. rasoale@yahoo.it
Mascelli
Samantha
S
Nozza
Paolo
P
Biassoni
Roberto
R
Negri
Francesca
F
Garaventa
Alberto
A
Tarantino
Vincenzo
V
Garrè
Maria Luisa
ML
Cama
Armando
A
Capra
Valeria
V
D005260:Female; D018628:Gene Dosage; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012730:Sex Chromosomes; D020080:Tandem Repeat Sequences