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Objective: To establish a method to improve the detection of disseminated tumor cells in bone marrow and peripheral blood samples of neuroblastoma patients and analysis of cytogenetic aberration. Methods: Immunofluorescent staining was performed using a cocktail of primary monoclonal neuroblastoma antibodies (14.G2a, 5.1H11). Fluorescence in situ hybridization was applied with fluorescent probes specific for Nmyc genes afterwards. A novel computer assisted scanning system for automatic search, image analysis and repositioning of these positive cells was developed. Fifty-six bone marrow and peripheral blood samples from 7 patients were evaluated by this method. Results: Fluorescence in situ hybridization can be combined with immunofluorescent staining in detecting Nmyc amplification in neuroblastoma patients. Fluorescence in situ hybridization results correlated well with data obtained by conventional cytogenetic procedures. Conclusion: The technique described allows search of tumor cells in the bone marrow as well as detection of Nmyc amplification in interphase nuclei.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between flow cytometric DNA ploidy, biological features and prognosis in patients with Stage II colorectal cancer. Methods: Nuclear DNA content, proliferation index and S-phase fraction were measured in a prospective series of 45 patients with curatively resected Stage II colorectal adenocarcinomas by means of flow cytometry using frozen tumor samples. Results: Of the 45 samples examined, 17 tumors (38%) were diploid and 28 (62%) aneuploid. The diploid tumors were significantly more common in the proximal colon than in the distal colon (67% vs. 23%; P 0.05). The proliferation index and S-phase fraction in the distal tumors were higher than those in the proximal tumors, but the difference was not significant (P>0.05). When the 5-year survival rate of patients with Stage II colorectal cancer was compared by the log rank test, a significant relationship between DNA ploidy status and disease free survival was observed in the group of all patients. Patients with DNA diploid tumors had a better disease free survival than those with DNA aneuploid tumors (P

Objective: To study the association of DNA ploidy abnormality and p53 overexpression with the carcinogenesis of colorectal cancer. Methods: DNA ploidy and p53 expression were measured in a series of 42 colorectal adenocarcinomas by means of flow cytometry and immunohistochemical test. Results: 17 tumors (40%) were diploid and 25 (60%) aneuploid. The aneuploid tumors were significantly more common in the distal colon than in the proximal colon (P