Microsatellite and Chromosomal Instability in Breast Cancer

Abstract

A set of the microsatellite markers spanning 21 Mbp around the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene at 7p12 was used to determine possible chromosomal imbalances in breast tumors. Our study has shown that changes in the EGFR gene copy number is a frequent event in breast cancer and occurs in 22% of breast cancer patients. Eight percent of cases analyzed had an amplification& of the EGFR gene containing region. In addition to the gains of the chromosome 7 region, 14% of the cases showed loss of heterozygosity (LOH). The length of the deleted region varied from 2.3 Mbp to the entire chromosome. Therefore, both the amplification and the deletion of the EGFR gene facilitate tumorigenesis in a set of breast tumors that should be reflected in the clinico-pathological parameters of the tumors. This finding has a high importance because epidermal growth factor receptor is a target for some chemotherapy drugs.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 2003
Accession Number
ADA418690

Entities

People

  • Svetlana Baranovskaya

Organizations

  • Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Amplification
  • Biomedical Research
  • Breast Cancer
  • Chemotherapy
  • Chromosomes
  • Genes
  • Genetic Phenomena
  • Genomic Instability
  • Growth Factors
  • Instability
  • Microsatellites
  • Neoplasms

Fields of Study

  • Biology
  • Medicine

Readers

  • Molecular and genetic basis of cancer.
  • Oncology