title: Myc protein expression correlates with MYC amplification in small-cell lung carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Myc family members are important contributors to oncogenesis in a variety of tumours. Identification of therapeutic targets is needed in small-cell lung carcinoma (SCLC), an aggressive disease with limited treatment options. Sequencing studies have identified MYC amplification in 2-7% of SCLCs. This study aims to determine the rate of MYC gene amplification and its correlation with Myc protein overexpression in SCLC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and three cases of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded SCLC were examined. Myc protein expression was scored according to the extent of immunohistochemical staining. MYC copy number (CN) was evaluated with dual-colour chromogenic in-situ hybridization (CISH) for the MYC locus and a chromosome 8 (Chr8) centromeric control. Amplification was defined as a MYC/Chr8 ratio of ≥2. Thirty-eight per cent of SCLCs had some degree of Myc protein expression, and 9% of cases were MYC-amplified. MYC CN was significantly correlated with the extent of Myc protein expression (Spearman's ρ = 0.57, P < 0.01). There was no significant association between Myc expression or CN and clinicopathological features.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MYC amplification by CISH was identified in 9% of SCLCs, and correlated with protein expression. As novel Myc-targeted therapies are developed, CISH and IHC should be considered as biomarkers of Myc pathway dysregulation in SCLC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center Pathology Core, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.|Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center Pathology Core, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Scott J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Rodig
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Jason L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hornick
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Lynette M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Sholl
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification / Q000502:physiology*; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000378:metabolism*; D055752:Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: C489427:MYC protein, human; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc
keywords: MYC; chromogenic in-situ hybridization; immunohistochemistry; small-cell carcinoma