Clonal analysis of bilateral mammary carcinomas by clinical evaluation and partial allelotyping

• Published in: American journal of clinical pathology 2003-08, Vol.120 (2), p.168-174
• Main Authors: TSE, Gary M. K, KUNG, Fred Y. L, CHAN, Amy B. W, LAW, Bonita K. B, CHANG, Alexander R, LO, Kwok-Wai
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alleles; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers - analysis; Breast Neoplasms - chemistry; Breast Neoplasms - genetics; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Carcinoma in Situ - chemistry; Carcinoma in Situ - genetics; Carcinoma in Situ - pathology; Clone Cells; DNA, Neoplasm - analysis; Female; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Loss of Heterozygosity; Mammary gland diseases; Medical sciences; Microsatellite Repeats; Middle Aged; Neoplasms, Multiple Primary - chemistry; Neoplasms, Multiple Primary - genetics; Neoplasms, Second Primary - chemistry; Neoplasms, Second Primary - genetics; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Reproducibility of Results; Tumors
• ISSN: 0002-9173; 1943-7722
• DOI: 10.1309/6YEPMCHACPG2BD15

Bilateral breast carcinomas may represent contralateral metastases or new primary tumors. The presence of carcinoma in situ, a lower grade, or a different histotype in the second tumor is considered a clinical criterion for a second primary tumor. In this study, 26 bilateral breast carcinomas from 13 patients were analyzed based on clinical criteria, and the results were compared with those obtained by partial allelotyping using 47 markers at 7 chromosomal arms. Of the 8 synchronous tumors, 5 were concluded to be distinct primary tumors using clinical criteria; some were confirmed by partial allelotyping. In the remaining 3 cases, partial allelotyping showed distinct primary tumors. Five patients had metachronous carcinomas with 3 distinct primary tumors, 1 metastasis, and 1 that was uncertain by clinical criteria. Three cases were confirmed by partial allelotyping, and the uncertain case was shown to be distinct primary tumors. No discrepant results were noted. Stringent application of clinical criteria is accurate for differentiating second primary tumors from metastases.