[CGH (comparative genomic hybridization)]

Comparative Genomic Hybridization (CGH) is a powerful new method which allows genome-wide mapping of regions with DNA sequence copy number changes (both increases and decreases) in a single experiment without previous knowledge of the locations of the regions of abnormality. CGH is based on in situ hybridization of differentially labeled total genomic tumor DNA and normal DNA to normal human metaphase chromosomes. After hybridization copy number variations among the sequences in the tumor DNA are detected by measuring the tumor/normal fluorescence intensity ratio for each locus in the target chromosomes. Many previously unknown chromosomal regions with relative copy number changes have been detected in various tumors by CGH. Some changes have been identified as genetic markers associated with biological and clinico-pathological characteristics (i.e., histopathological grade, and clinical outcome). We review the published CGH articles and discuss briefly on current progress in CGH analysis to ovarian and uterine cervical cancer in our laboratory.