Microsatellite DNA analysis does not distinguish malignant from benign pleural effusions

  • Authors:
    • F. Economidou
    • E. G. Tzortzaki
    • S. Schiza
    • K. M. Antoniou
    • E. Neofytou
    • M. Zervou
    • I. Lambiri
    • N. M. Siafakas
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: December 1, 2007     https://doi.org/10.3892/or.18.6.1507
  • Pages: 1507-1512
Metrics: Total Views: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )
Total PDF Downloads: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )


Abstract

Distinguishing malignant from benign pleural effusions using routine cytology is a common diagnostic problem. Recently, genetic alterations, including microsatellite instability (MSI) and loss of heterozygosity (LOH), have been described in malignant pleural effusions and proposed as methods improving diagnostics. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a panel of molecular markers for the detection of genetic alterations of cells in pleural effusions and to determine their diagnostic value as an additional test to cytologic examination. Pleural fluid and peripheral blood from 48 patients (36 male and 12 female, median age 71 years) were analyzed. Twenty-six patients had malignant pleural effusion, including 23 lung cancer and three metastatic non-pulmonary carcinoma. The control group consisted of 22 patients with benign pleural effusions. Only 14 malignancy-associated pleural effusions were cytology-positive for malignant cells (54%), whereas all benign pleural effusions were negative. DNA was extracted from all the samples and analysed for MSI and/or LOH using the following microsatellite markers: D3S1234, D9S171, D12S363, D17S250, D5S346 and TP53Alu, located at five chromosomal regions: 3p, 9p, 12q, 17q, 5q. Microsatellite analysis of the pleural fluid pellet exhibited genetic alterations in two neoplastic pleural fluid cases and in one inflammatory case. Two out of 26 (7.6%) patients with malignant pleural effusion showed genetic alterations. One exhibited MSI in three different microsatellite markers (D17S250, D9S171, D3S134) and the other showed LOH in marker D3S134. One out of 22 (4.5%) patients with benign pleural effusion showed LOH in marker D3S134. In conclusion, genetic alterations at the level of microsatellite DNA, were detected only in very few cases of malignant pleural effusions, and in one case of benign pleural effusion. Thus, our data suggest that microsatellite DNA analysis does not facilitate the diagnosis of malignant pleural effusion.

Related Articles

Journal Cover

December 2007
Volume 18 Issue 6

Print ISSN: 1021-335X
Online ISSN:1791-2431

Sign up for eToc alerts

Recommend to Library

Copy and paste a formatted citation
x
Spandidos Publications style
Economidou F, Tzortzaki EG, Schiza S, Antoniou KM, Neofytou E, Zervou M, Lambiri I and Siafakas NM: Microsatellite DNA analysis does not distinguish malignant from benign pleural effusions. Oncol Rep 18: 1507-1512, 2007
APA
Economidou, F., Tzortzaki, E.G., Schiza, S., Antoniou, K.M., Neofytou, E., Zervou, M. ... Siafakas, N.M. (2007). Microsatellite DNA analysis does not distinguish malignant from benign pleural effusions. Oncology Reports, 18, 1507-1512. https://doi.org/10.3892/or.18.6.1507
MLA
Economidou, F., Tzortzaki, E. G., Schiza, S., Antoniou, K. M., Neofytou, E., Zervou, M., Lambiri, I., Siafakas, N. M."Microsatellite DNA analysis does not distinguish malignant from benign pleural effusions". Oncology Reports 18.6 (2007): 1507-1512.
Chicago
Economidou, F., Tzortzaki, E. G., Schiza, S., Antoniou, K. M., Neofytou, E., Zervou, M., Lambiri, I., Siafakas, N. M."Microsatellite DNA analysis does not distinguish malignant from benign pleural effusions". Oncology Reports 18, no. 6 (2007): 1507-1512. https://doi.org/10.3892/or.18.6.1507