PURPOSE: To define the biological features of the variable aggressiveness of cholesteatoma, we performed a retrospective cytogenetic and kinetic study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied 44 cases of cholesteatoma by using fluorescence in situ hybridization with specific alpha-satellite DNA probes for chromosome 7 and immunohistochemical analysis of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) with PC10 monoclonal antibody. RESULTS: We observed the presence of three or four chromosome 7 in elevated percentages of cells of 23 cases, and a high PCNA index (above mean value) in 22 cases. CONCLUSION: Based on our results, we maintain that the presence of an extra chromosome 7 is correlated with an increase of proliferative activity. Therefore, trisomy 7 can be considered a prognostic marker and an indicator of aggressive behavior in cholesteatoma.
PURPOSE: To define the biological features of the variable aggressiveness of cholesteatoma, we performed a retrospective cytogenetic and kinetic study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied 44 cases of cholesteatoma by using fluorescence in situ hybridization with specific alpha-satellite DNA probes for chromosome 7 and immunohistochemical analysis of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) with PC10 monoclonal antibody. RESULTS: We observed the presence of three or four chromosome 7 in elevated percentages of cells of 23 cases, and a high PCNA index (above mean value) in 22 cases. CONCLUSION: Based on our results, we maintain that the presence of an extra chromosome 7 is correlated with an increase of proliferative activity. Therefore, trisomy 7 can be considered a prognostic marker and an indicator of aggressive behavior in cholesteatoma.