title: [Quality of DNA from archival pathological samples of gallbladder cancer].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The quality of the archival samples stored at pathology services could be a limiting factor for molecular biology studies.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the quality of DNA extracted from gallbladder cancer samples at different institutions.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred ninety four samples coming from five medical centers in Chile, were analyzed. DNA extraction was quantified determining genomic DNA concentration. The integrity of DNA was determined by polymerase chain reaction amplification of different length fragments of a constitutive gene (β-globin products of 110, 268 and 501 base pairs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean DNA concentration obtained in 194 gallbladder cancer samples was 48 ± 43.1 ng/µl. In 22% of samples, no amplification was achieved despite obtaining a mean DNA concentration of 58.3 ng/ul. In 81, 67 and 22% of samples, a DNA amplification of at least 110, 268 or 501 base pairs was obtained, respectively. No differences in DNA concentration according to the source of the samples were demonstrated. However, there were marked differences in DNA integrity among participating centers. Samples from public hospitals were of lower quality than those from private clinics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite some limitations, in 80% of cases, the integrity of DNA in archival samples from pathology services in our country would allow the use of molecular biology techniques.
authors.forename: Iván
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Roa
authors.forename: Gonzalo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: de Toro
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.forename: Jeannie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Slater
authors.forename: Anne Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ziegler
authors.forename: Anakaren
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Game
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Arellano
authors.forename: Kurt
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schalper
authors.forename: Xabier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: de Aretxabala
mesh_terms: D002677:Chile; D002763:Cholecystectomy; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000592:standards; D005706:Gallbladder Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D021141:Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques / Q000379:methods; D010337:Pathology Department, Hospital; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011786:Quality Control; D018401:Sample Size
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm