Prognostic Value of Telomere DNA Content in Ductal Carcinoma In Situ
Abstract
Diagnosis of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) has risen 500% in recent years. However, only a fraction of these lesions progress to invasive cancer, making it is important to identify markers that identify high-risk patients. Critically shortened telomeres give rise to genomic instability both in vivo and in vitro and thereby drive alterations in gene expression. We have shown that reduced telomere DNA content (TC) was associated with decreased survival breast cancers. These findings demonstrate that alterations in TC may occur early in the neoplastic process and are likely to impact clinical outcome. We hypothesized that TC could be a unique and informative prognostic marker in DCIS. The purpose of this project is twofold: 1) determine if TC can be used to predict clinical outcome in a retrospective study of DCIS, 2) determine if loss of telomeric DNA can induce specific changes in gene expression. To date, a study population has been identified and cases selected. Micodissection and telomere-specific FISH protocols have been optimized to determine TC. Additionally, an in vitro model has been developed to examine changes in gene expression related to alterations in TC.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA428424
Entities
People
- Colleen A. Fordyce
Organizations
- University of California, San Francisco