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Updated: Jul 1, 2026
09:49
Non-enzymatic, Serum-free Tissue Culture of Pre-invasive Breast Lesions for Spontaneous Generation of Mammospheres
Published on: November 8, 2014
Genomic instability demonstrates similarity between DCIS and invasive carcinomas
Christopher M Heaphy1, Marco Bisoffi, Nancy E Joste
1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, 87131-0001, USA.
Breast Cancer Research and Treatment
|September 12, 2008
Summary
Genomic instability, measured by telomere DNA content and allelic imbalance, increases during early breast cancer stages. This instability plateaus in ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and invasive breast cancer.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Genetics
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Breast cancer progression involves genetic alterations.
- Telomere DNA content (TC) and allelic imbalance (AI) are indicators of genomic instability.
- Understanding these markers aids in characterizing cancer development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate telomere DNA content (TC) and sites of allelic imbalance (AI) in relation to breast cancer progression.
- To correlate genomic instability with different stages of breast cancer, from hyperplasia to invasive disease.
Main Methods:
- Telomere DNA content (TC) and allelic imbalance (AI) were quantified.
- Analysis included histologically normal tissues, atypical ductal hyperplasias (ADH), ductal carcinomas in situ (DCIS), and invasive carcinomas (Stage I-IIIA).
Main Results:
- Altered TC was observed in 20% of ADH, 53% of DCIS, and 51% of invasive carcinomas.
- The mean number of AI sites increased significantly from normal tissue (0.26) to ADH (1.00), DCIS (2.94), and invasive carcinomas (3.07).
- Genomic instability showed no significant difference between DCIS and invasive carcinoma groups.
Conclusions:
- Genomic instability significantly increases in atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH) and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS).
- Genomic instability plateaus in DCIS and does not further increase in invasive breast carcinomas.
- Findings support the hypothesis that invasive carcinomas develop from or concurrently with DCIS.
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