CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, Vol 15, 54-74, Copyright
© 1965 by American Cancer Society
WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS HOSPITAL
A State-Operated Community Cancer Center
1. No diploid cancers, either primary or metastatic, have been found in our laboratory to date. These findings indicate a more than casual relationship between chromosomes and cancer.
2. The karyotypes of human cancers show a kaleidoscopic picture, no two tumors having a similar chromosome constitution. This great diversity in the karyotypes indicates that a combination of genetic and ecologic factors may lead, by selection of the most viable altered cells, to the development of a cytogenetic profile characteristic for each individual cancer.
3. Aneuploid cells in cancerous effusions have karyotypes which are stable over relatively long periods of time, irrespective of the therapy given. Following successful treatment, the abnormal karyotypes disappear, reappearing with relapse. In some cases, this reappearance foretells relapse.
4. With a few exceptions, we have found that effusions containing predominantly diploid metaphases do not contain tumor cells on cytological examination. But, effusions containing aneuploid metaphases contain tumor cells, even when the initial cytological examinations failed to do so.
5. Cancer cells cultured in vitro often have an aneuploid mode. The presence of a diploid mode in cultured material does not necessarily indicate that the karyotype belongs to the cancerous cells since normal supporting cells may preferentially grow in culture situations.
6. Since it is not possible to obtain a sufficient number of metaphases for examination in all cancer tissues, particularly solid tumors (10% yield), the development of culturing techniques which would eliminate competitive disadvantages of cancerous cells is a very necessary link, for studies on the relation of genetics to cancer, and the appraisal of the biological and biochemical parameters of abnormal cells.
