Cytogenetic abnormalities in non‐small cell lung carcinoma: Similarity of findings in conventional and feeder cell layer cultures

Abstract

Primary tumors from 39 patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) were examined for cytogenetic abnormalities by conventional short-term harvest (1-39 days) of primary cultures of minced solid-tumor tissues and by harvest of monolayer cultures of tumor tissue (6 days to 5 months) on murine fibroblast feeder layers. A successful karyotype was obtained with both methods in nine of 39 cases. Among the remaining 30 cases, a successful karyotype was obtained in eight cases by the conventional method only and in three cases by the feeder cell method only. The success rates were 44% for the conventional method, and 31% for the feeder cell method, and the combined success rate was 51% for one or the other method. The feeder culture method, in which harvests were usually performed at later times than with the conventional method, generally produced metaphases with superior banding, which allowed clearer definition of cytogenetic abnormalities. In addition, cell lines were established in eight of these cases by the feeder cell method. Karyotypes from the longer-term harvests typically were very similar to those from short-term conventional cultures. Minor numerical differences and/or a few additional structural abnormalities were noted in seven of the nine cases analyzed by both methods. Overall, however, even in karyotypes from 5-month cultures, the prominent recurrent changes and modal chromosome numbers observed in short-term cultures were still present. The results indicate that long-term culture with fibroblast feeder cells is a valid means of obtaining cells from solid lung tumors for cytogenetic and molecular analysis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Cytogenetic analysis of 63 non‐small cell lung carcinomas: Recurrent chromosome alterations amid frequent and widespread genomic upheaval

“…Cytogenetic analysis was performed on 61 primary tumors and 2 pleural effusions (cases 59 and 60) obtained from 42 male and 21 female patients with NSCLC. Cytogenetic findings in 24 of these cases have been reported previously (Miura et al, 1990b;Siegfried et al, 1993), and the karyotypes of these cases have been revised in accordance with the new guidelines for cancer cvtogenetics (ISCN, 1991). Histologic diagnoses of the tumors were as follows: adenocarcinoma (35 cases), squamous cell carcinoma (18 cases), adenosquamous carcinoma (3 cases), large cell carcinoma (6 cases), and undifferentiated carcinoma (1 case).…”

“…Moreover, the karyotypes can be very complicated, hindering efforts to identify consistent changes. Thus far, detailed reports of karyotypes of primary NSCLCs have been limited to several small series, usually of fewer than 10 cases (Lee et al, 1987;Lukeis et al, 1990;Miura et al, 1990b;Viegas-Pequignot et al, 1990;Flury-Herard et al, 1992;Siegfried et al, 1993), or a few selected cases or case reports (Liang et al, 1986;Jin et al, 1988;Ronne et al, 1989;Pejovic et a]., 1990;Johansson et al, 1992;Drouin et al, 1993). Altogether, complete karyotypic details are available from short-term cultures of approximately 60 primary NSCLCs.…”