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Biliary Tract Malignancy

Clinical Overview and Novel Detection Method



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For information on specimen collection and processing, see Biliary Tract Malignancy by FISH Testing.

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For questions regarding the management or treatment of a patient with this condition, contact Dr. Gores (Monday-Friday) at 507-284-6488.

FISH

Slide 13

September 2011

Our lab has clinically validated a FISH probe set that can be used to enhance the detection of pancreatobiliary malignancies. This probe consists of 4 probes. There are 3 chromosome enumeration probes to chromosomes 3, 7, and 17 which are labeled with red, green, and aqua fluorophores respectively and a single locus specific probe to the P16 tumor suppressor gene on the short arm of chromosome 9 which is labeled with a yellow fluorophore. As is shown in this slide, normal cells will exhibit 2 copies for each of the 4 probes. Cells with abnormal FISH signal patterns are either categorized as showing polysomy (which is shown on the right) or trisomy (which is shown in the middle). Polysomic cells have extra copies for at least 2 of the four probes. Trisomic cells have 3 copies of one of the 4 probes (generally 3 copies of the chromosome 7 probe) and 2 copies of the other three probes. We have found that polysomic cells are most indicative of the presence of a malignancy. Trisomic cells increase the chance the patient may have a malignancy compared to patients that have only normal cells by FISH. But trisomic cells are also commonly found in patients that are not found to have a neoplasm and thus trisomy is not specific for malignancy.

FISH
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