DNA ploidy and chromosomal imbalances in invasive ductal breast cancer. A comparative study of DNA image cytometry and comparative genomic hybridization (CGH)

Chromosomal imbalances were analyzed in 62 breast cancers with different DN A ploidy by CGH. The results of DNA image cytometry and CGH are consistent with peridiploid and aneuploid cases. The peritetraploid tumors harbored a high number of chromosomal imbalances, as a hint for an unfavorable prognos is. The quantitative analysis of imbalances highlighted the role of differe nt physical constituents of the chromosome, and of chromosomal losses in di fferent DNA ploidy groups. The peritetraploid and aneuploid tumors differed from the peridiploid tumors in losses at 8p and 18q. The peritetraploid ca ncers exhibited more gains at 8q, the aneuploid tumors more losses at 17p t han their peridiploid counterparts. The aneuploid cases differed from the p eritetraploid tumors in a higher number of losses at 11q and 14q. Combinati ons of imbalances provide further insights into the genetic background of D NA ploidy. Hypotheses for the progression from peridiploid to nondiploid br east cancers are given.