Cytogenetic findings in an effusion secondary from pleural mesothelioma

Our plain-English summary of Cytogenetic findings in an effusion secondary from pleural mesothelioma, by M.J. Bello, J.A. Rey, M.J. Avilés, et al (Cancer Genetics and Cytogenetics, 1987).

The study

• Authors: M.J. Bello, J.A. Rey, M.J. Avilés, M. Arevalo, J. Benítez
• Journal: Cancer Genetics and Cytogenetics
• Published: 1987;29(1):75-9
• Type of article: Case report
• Cited by: 25 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher

Abstract

Cytogenetic analysis was performed on cells from pleural effusion secondary to an epithelial mesothelioma. Although chromosomal findings (pseudodiploid stemline, including marker chromosomes involving chromosomes #1, #3, #5, and #6) suggested the neoplastic origin of the effusion, routine cytologic diagnosis was negative.

In plain English

This case report from Madrid, Spain, described a 38-year-old woman admitted in February 1985 with fluid around her right lung (a pleural effusion). Three years earlier a similar episode had been diagnosed as tuberculous pleuritis. Routine examination of cells in the fluid showed only a nonspecific reaction of the lining cells, and a pleural biopsy found no signs of cancer. However, chromosome studies of two fluid samples suggested a tumor. Surgery then found pleural nodules, and tissue examination diagnosed epithelial mesothelioma with a low rate of cell division. Chromosome counts in 137 dividing cells ranged from 35 to 160. The most common count, 46, was found in 32 cells, which formed three closely related groups. The first group carried 'marker' chromosomes involving chromosomes 1, 5 and 6; eight cells also had a chromosome 3 marker. Cells at the common count and variant cells lacked one chromosome 13. The authors concluded that the chromosome study pointed to cancer when routine cytology did not. They said confirming recurring chromosome changes in mesothelioma needs further studies, especially in untreated patients. The article does not mention asbestos.

We wrote this plain-English summary from the full article with the help of AI, and a second AI model checked each sentence against the article. It is not the authors' wording; the abstract and the article are their own account.

What the study did and found

• Design: case report (cytogenetic study of one patient)
• Who was studied: One 38-year-old woman with a right pleural effusion, admitted to the Department of Pneumology, Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, Spain, in February 1985. Her history included a similar episode 3 years earlier, diagnosed as tuberculous pleuritis.
• Exposure: Not reported. The article does not mention asbestos or any other exposure.
• Main results:
  • A similar episode 3 years before admission had been diagnosed as tuberculous pleuritis.
  • A pleural tissue biopsy by pleuroscopy showed no granulomas or signs of malignancy.
  • Cytogenetic analysis was done on both pleural effusion samples, and the second sample confirmed the first study's suggestion of a tumor.
  • Routine cytology of the pleural fluid suggested a nonmalignant process, while the cytogenetic studies showed clonal chromosomal rearrangements suggesting a malignant tumor.
  • At thoracotomy, the parietal pleura showed hard, confluent nodules (the visceral pleura appeared covered with small nodules). The tissue diagnosis was epithelial mesothelioma with a low mitotic index.
  • In this patient's effusion cells, chromosome counts in the 137 metaphases analyzed ranged between 35 and 160.
  • The modal number was 46 chromosomes, found in 32 cells.
  • The 32 cells with the modal number made up three closely related cell populations.
  • The first of these populations carried marker chromosomes: a deletion in the long arm of chromosome 1 [del(1)(q41)], an enlarged long arm of chromosome 5 (5q+), and an isochromosome of the short arm of chromosome 6 [i(6p)].
  • Eight cells also had a deletion in the short arm of chromosome 3, and four cells had an altered chromosome 14 in place of a normal one.
  • Loss of one chromosome 13 (monosomy 13) was found in the modal and variant cells of this case.
  • The authors described four marker chromosomes in this pseudodiploid mesothelioma.
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that in this case, cytogenetic study of the effusion detected changes suggestive of malignancy when routine cytology suggested a nonmalignant process. They stated that confirming nonrandom chromosomal changes in malignant mesothelioma needs further cytogenetic studies, especially in patients who had not received previous therapy.

Topics

The National Library of Medicine indexes this study under subjects our site covers: Mesothelioma, Pleural plaques and thickening.

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Pleural Mesothelioma, Pleural Effusion, Mesothelioma.

Related studies

• Cytogenetic analysis of malignant mesothelioma — A. Hagemeijer, M.A. Versnel, et al. (1990)
• Cytogenetic response to asbestos fibers in cultured human primary mesothelial cells from 10 different donors — K. Pelin, A. Hirvonen, et al. (1995)
• Interphase cytogenetics on paraffin sections of malignant pleural mesothelioma. A comparison to conventional karyotyping and flow cytometric studies — M. Tiainen, A. Hopman, et al. (1992)
• Abnormalities of chromosomes 7 and 22 in human malignant pleural mesothelioma: correlation between Southern blot and cytogenetic analyses — M. Tiainen, J. Kere, et al. (1992)
• Evaluation of predictive value of pleural CEA in patients with pleural effusions and histological findings: A prospective study and literature review — R. Tozzoli, S.M. Basso, et al. (2016)
• ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT findings in pleural effusions of patients with known cancer. A cytopathological correlation — I. Letovanec, G. Allenbach, et al. (2012)

Browse more research in Cancer Genetics and Cytogenetics, or return to medical research.