Cytogenetic diagnosis of cancer: abnormalities of chromosomes and polyploid levels in the bone marrow of patients with small cell anaplastic carcinoma of the lung.

The chromosomes of metastatic cells and polyploid levels in the bone marrow of 26 patients with small cell anaplastic carcinoma were studied by direct bone marrow preparation and trypsin-Giemsa banding. Eighteen of these patients had received no tumor therapy and 8 had had chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy; 18 patients, including 5 who had received therapy, had karyotypic abnormalities with or without elevation of the polyploid level. Modal numbers and chromosome abnormalities were highly variable in treated and untreated patients. Modes ranged from hypodiploid to polyploid, but polyploid modes were the most frequently observed abnormal modes. Polyploid modes were not seen, however, in post-therapy patients with the exception of one who had received radiation therapy to the mediastinum for only 4 days prior to withdrawal of the specimen for chromosome analysis. Ten patients had elevated polyploid levels that ranged from 4.24 to 44.8% and always occurred in conjunction with karyotypic abnormalities. Both aneusomy (abnormal number) of normal chromosomes and structural aberrations (markers) occurred frequently. Some markers were consistent within an individual, but other variable aberrations were also typically present. Very few markers were common to 2 or more patients. The no. 1 chromosome participated in marker formation in 14 of the 18 patients with karyotypic abnormalities. Of the 26 patients, 5 were negative for metastasis to the marrow by pathologic examination but positive by cytogenetic diagnosis, whereas none were positive by pathologic examination and negative by cytogenetic diagnosis; this demonstrated that cytogenetics may be used as a rapid adjunct diagnostic procedure for the detection of metastasis in the marrow.     

A specific chromosome breakpoint associated with mouse plasmacytomas.

The chromosomes of uncultured cells of the near-diploid mouse plasmacytoma MOPC-31C were studied. The modal number of chromosomes was 44. The tumor lacked two marker chromosomes, reciprocal translocation [rcp t(12; 15)], that in previous studies were found to be common to 3 other uncultured myelomas and 1 cultured mouse myeloma. Through the formation of two markers, rcp t(6; 15), unique to this tumor, however, the tumor shared with other tumors and their specific markers a common breakpoint in chromosome "15 at band D3/E. This breakpoint has been found in all mouse plasmacytomas examined with banding thus far and is considered of possible importance in the development of this tumor.     

Isolation and characterization of a hormone-producing cell line from human small cell anaplastic carcinoma of the lung.

A continuous cell culture line was established from a bone marrow metastasis of small cell anaplastic carcinoma of the lung. The cultures were characterized by light and electron microscopy, and an unusual concentric arrangement of cells was observed, both in sectioned material from the patient's tumor and from the cell cultures. The cells had two types of specialized cell junctions and contained secretory-like granules of the type described in neuroendocrine cells. Lactic dehydrogenase isozyme patterns were the same as those observed in normal human serum, and the karyotype revealed the presence of several marker chromosomes. Vasopressin was present in the cells and secreted into the culture medium in the absence of neurophysin, as shown by the immunoperoxidase technique and radioimmunoassay. Oxytocin was also absent from cells.     

Fragile sites and high-resolution chromosome studies in multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A

Affected individuals from four kindreds with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A syndrome (MEN-2A), were studied for the possible existence of a specific fragile site that might be associated with the MEN-2A gene. The chromosomes were also examined with high-resolution banding with particular emphasis on those chromosomes (#1, 10, 20, and 22) that have been implicated by previous studies from several laboratories as being associated with this disease. There was no evidence for a unique fragile site or a unique high-resolution banding pattern in subjects with MEN-2A. These findings, in combination with all previous cytogenetic studies, indicate that it is unlikely that current techniques will be useful in developing a simple cytogenetic test for this disease.     

Clinical significance of the BCR-ABL fusion gene in adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a Cancer and Leukemia Group B Study (8762).

The Philadelphia (Ph1) chromosome, or its molecular counterpart, the BCR-ABL fusion gene, is a rare but important prognostic indicator in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), but its impact on adult ALL has not been well ascertained. A prospective study of the BCR-ABL fusion gene was begun on patients entered on clinical trials conducted by the Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB). All patients received intensive, multiagent chemotherapy that included daunorubicin. Over 2 years, 56 patients were studied for molecular evidence of a BCR-ABL gene using Southern blot and pulsed-field gel hybridization analysis. Results were compared with cytogenetic detection of a Ph1 chromosome, and clinical features were compared for the BCR-ABL-positive and -negative groups. Molecular methods detected the BCR-ABL gene in 30% of cases compared with cytogenetic detection of the Ph1 chromosome in only 23%. The majority of cases (76%) showed the p190 gene subtype similar to pediatric ALL; the BCR-ABL-positive cases displayed a more homogeneous immunophenotype than the BCR-ABL-negative cases and were predominantly CALLA positive (86%) and B-cell surface antigen positive (82%). The rate of achieving complete remission was similar in the BCR-ABL-positive and -negative groups (71% and 77%, respectively, P = .72). There were more early relapses in the BCR-ABL-positive group, resulting in a shorter remission duration that was especially marked in the CALLA-positive and B-cell antigen-positive populations. These preliminary data suggest that the impact of the BCR-ABL gene on clinical outcome in ALL may be on maintenance of complete remission (CR) rather than achievement of CR when aggressive, multiagent chemotherapy is used. This study identifies the BCR-ABL gene as an important factor in adult ALL and demonstrates the utility of molecular methods for its accurate diagnosis.     

Camptomelic dwarfism associated with XY-gonadal dysgenesis and chromosome anomalies

We have studied two female newborns with comptomelic dwarfism, XY-gonadal dysgenesis and chromosome anomalies. The preponderance of "females" among the hitherto reported cases of this allegedly autosomal recessive form of lethal drawfism may be due to an increased incidence of an associated XY-gonadal dysgenesis.     

Schizophrenia and mental retardation in an adult male with a de novo interstitial deletion 9(q32q34.1).

A 28 year old man with mental retardation and therapeutically controlled schizophrenia was found to have a de novo interstitial deletion in the long arm of a chromosome 9 (46,XY,del(9)(q32q34.1). Additional phenotypic abnormalities included short stature, a short webbed neck with a low posterior hairline, dysmorphic facies, a narrow palate with an inverted V soft palate, and tapered fingers with bilateral short fifth metacarpals. Interstitial deletion of chromosome 9 is a rare finding and we are aware of only one other case involving the q32q34.1 region.     

A unique de novo interstitial deletion del(17) (q21.3q23) in a phenotypically abnormal infant

We report on an infant with multiple congenital anomalies possessing a de novo, interstitially deleted no. 17 chromosome. The phenotype includes brachycephaly, club feet, delay of growth and development, and hypertelorism with upslanted palpebral fissures. We are unaware of other reported cases involving such interstitial deletion of 17, or of translocations involving the breakpoint regions observed in our case.