Expression of oncofetal RNA-binding protein CRD-BP/IMP1 predicts clinical outcome in colon cancer.

The oncofetal CRD-BP/IMP1 RNA binding protein regulates posttranscriptionally a handful of RNA transcripts, implicated in cell adhesion and invadopodia formation and was recently identified as a target of the beta-catenin/Tcf transcription factor that is constitutively activated in colorectal carcinomas (CRCs). The expression of CRD-BP/IMP1 was studied in normal adult intestines and CRCs. In normal mucosa, CRD-BP/IMP1 immunoreactivity was observed in few scattered cells located predominantly at or near the bottom of the crypts, whereas in CRCs the protein was detectable in tumor cells of 50% of the specimens analyzed.

Metaphase and interphase cytogenetics in fibroadenomas of the breast.

Short-term cultures of fifty-two samples of fibroadenomas were cytogenetically analyzed. Thirty-three of the successfully karyotyped fibroadenomas were further investigated for the presence of amplifications in the CCND1, c-MYC and HER/2-neu genes by means of FISH analysis. Compared to carcinomas, fibroadenomas seem to have less complex cytogenetic rearrangements and limited alterations on HER-2/neu, CCND1 and c-MYC loci.

Cytogenetic manifestations of multiple myeloma heterogeneity.

To investigate the genetic basis of the great heterogeneity observed in the clinical behavior of multiple myeloma (MM), a combined approach of G-banding, interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and multicolor FISH (M-FISH) was employed to analyze 70 samples from 53 patients with MM. G-banding revealed abnormal karyotypes in 77% of the cases. The origin of 31 chromosome markers was identified or revised by M-FISH.

Tumor karyotype predicts clinical outcome in colorectal cancer patients.

Purpose: To investigate the prognostic value of the overall karyotypic features and specific chromosome aberrations in colorectal cancer (CRC).

Patients And Methods: Cytogenetic features of 150 primary CRCs investigated at the time of surgery were correlated with patient survival by univariate and multivariate analyses, using classical clinicopathologic parameters as covariates.

Results: In univariate analysis, in addition to tumor grade and clinical stage, structural aberrations as well as rearrangements of chromosomes 8 and 16 were significantly correlated with shorter overall survival.

Cytogenetic profile of unknown primary tumors: clues for their pathogenesis and clinical management.

Unknown primary tumors (UPTs) represent an entity of great clinical and biological interest, whose origin cannot be determined even after medical workup. To better understand their pathogenesis by outlining their genetic composition, 20 UPTs were investigated by G-banding, supplemented with Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization and Comparative Genomic Hybridization analyses. The data obtained were sufficient to reach a diagnosis in five cases-four lymphomas and one Ewing sarcoma-demonstrating that in a subset of UPTs, cytogenetics can be an adjunct for differential diagnosis.