Aberrations of chromosomes 9 and 17 in bilharzial bladder cancer as detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization.

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), using repetitive alpha satellite probes to chromosomes 9 and 17, was performed on 27 paraffinembedded bladder specimens from 18 Egyptian patients affected with bilharzial carcinoma. Fluorescence in situ hybridization results in the carcinomas and benign mucosa of patients with schistosomiasis were compared with flow cytometric DNA ploidy and cell cycle assays. These results demonstrate the feasibility of this technique for studies of these archival specimens, and suggest early onset of chromosomal aberrations in histologically benign mucosa of schistosomal cystitis with progression during the development of bladder cancer. On the basis of these data, monosomy 9 may be an early chromosomal change in urothelium of the bilharzia-infested bladder, and a predictor of incipient carcinoma in patients with bilharzial cystitis.