Open Access

Fluorescence in situ hybridization testing of chromosomes 6, 8, 9 and 11 in melanocytic tumors is difficult to automate and reveals tumor heterogeneity in melanomas

  • Authors:
    • Arnaud Uguen
    • Marie Uguen
    • Matthieu Talagas
    • Eric Gobin
    • Pascale Marcorelles
    • Marc De Braekeleer
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: August 3, 2016     https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2016.4949
  • Pages: 2734-2741
  • Copyright: © Uguen et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

Metrics: Total Views: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )
Total PDF Downloads: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )


Abstract

Malignant melanomas may be difficult to differentiate from benign nevi on the basis of histology. Contrary to nevi, the majority of melanomas harbor chromosomal imbalances. Comparative genomic hybridization‑based and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) tests can help differentiating malignant from benign tumors. In the present study, eight‑bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) probes targeting chromosomes 6, 8, 9 and 11 were tested by FISH, and compared with a commercial four‑color FISH probe set targeting chromosomes 6 and 11 in a first set of 62 tissue microarray‑included melanocytic tumors (47 melanomas and 15 nevi). A second set of 108 tumors (70 melanomas and 38 nevi) was analyzed with the eight‑probes kit, and manual counting was compared with the newly developed automated FISH signals counting and with semi‑quantitative visual detection of chromosomal imbalances. Intra‑tumor heterogeneity was also evaluated in 12 melanomas and 10 patients with paired melanoma samples. Testing the tumors from the first set with the commercial kit and the eight‑probes test permitted to correctly identify 45/47 and 47/47 melanomas, respectively. In the second tumor set, 65/70 malignant tumors presented at least one chromosomal imbalance, whereas none was detected in the nevi. The agreement between manual and automated signals counting was better in good‑quality FISH slides compared with poor-quality slides. Semi‑quantitative visual appreciation of chromosomal imbalances also reached strong agreement with exact manual counting. In addition, a frequent cytogenetic heterogeneity within melanomas and between paired tumors was noticed in patients with metastatic melanomas. To conclude, FISH testing targeting chromosomes 6, 8, 9 and 11 enabled to differentiate the majority of melanomas from nevi but was difficult to automate. Tumor cytogenetic heterogeneity was frequent and could impair FISH testing.
View Figures
View References

Related Articles

Journal Cover

October-2016
Volume 12 Issue 4

Print ISSN: 1792-1074
Online ISSN:1792-1082

Sign up for eToc alerts

Recommend to Library

Copy and paste a formatted citation
x
Spandidos Publications style
Uguen A, Uguen M, Talagas M, Gobin E, Marcorelles P and De Braekeleer M: Fluorescence in situ hybridization testing of chromosomes 6, 8, 9 and 11 in melanocytic tumors is difficult to automate and reveals tumor heterogeneity in melanomas. Oncol Lett 12: 2734-2741, 2016
APA
Uguen, A., Uguen, M., Talagas, M., Gobin, E., Marcorelles, P., & De Braekeleer, M. (2016). Fluorescence in situ hybridization testing of chromosomes 6, 8, 9 and 11 in melanocytic tumors is difficult to automate and reveals tumor heterogeneity in melanomas. Oncology Letters, 12, 2734-2741. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2016.4949
MLA
Uguen, A., Uguen, M., Talagas, M., Gobin, E., Marcorelles, P., De Braekeleer, M."Fluorescence in situ hybridization testing of chromosomes 6, 8, 9 and 11 in melanocytic tumors is difficult to automate and reveals tumor heterogeneity in melanomas". Oncology Letters 12.4 (2016): 2734-2741.
Chicago
Uguen, A., Uguen, M., Talagas, M., Gobin, E., Marcorelles, P., De Braekeleer, M."Fluorescence in situ hybridization testing of chromosomes 6, 8, 9 and 11 in melanocytic tumors is difficult to automate and reveals tumor heterogeneity in melanomas". Oncology Letters 12, no. 4 (2016): 2734-2741. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2016.4949