SIGNIFICANCE OF TRISOMY-7 RELATED TO PCNA INDEX IN CHOLESTEATOMA

Purpose: To define the biological features of the variable aggressiven ess of cholesteatoma, we performed a retrospective cytogenetic and kin etic study. Materials and Methods: We studied 44 cases of cholesteatom a by using fluorescence in situ hybridization with specific ct-satelli te DNA probes for chromosome 7 and immunohistochemical analysis of pro liferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) with PC 10 monoclonal antibody. Results: We observed the presence of three or four chromosome 7 in el evated percentages of cells of 23 cases, and a high PCNA index (above mean value) in 22 cases. Conclusion: Based on our results, we maintain that the presence of an extra chromosome 7 is correlated with an incr ease of proliferative activity. Therefore, trisomy 7 can be considered a prognostic marker and an indicator of aggressive behavior in choles teatoma. Copyright (C) 1998 by W.B. Saunders Company.