Evaluating DNA Methylation in Random Fine Needle Aspirates from the Breast to Inform Cancer Risk

Introduction. Critical regulatory genes are functionally silenced by DNA hypermethylation in breast cancer and premalignant lesions. The objective of this study was to examine whether DNA methylation assessed in random fine needle aspirates (rFNA) can be used to inform breast cancer risk. Methods. I...

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Main Authors: Kala Visvanathan, Ashley Cimino-Mathews, Mary Jo Fackler, Pritesh S. Karia, Christopher J. VandenBussche, Mikiaila Orellana, Betty May, Marissa J. White, Mehran Habibi, Julie Lange, David Euhus, Vered Stearns, John Fetting, Melissa Camp, Lisa Jacobs, Saraswati Sukumar
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2022-01-01
Series:The Breast Journal
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2022/9533461
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author Kala Visvanathan
Ashley Cimino-Mathews
Mary Jo Fackler
Pritesh S. Karia
Christopher J. VandenBussche
Mikiaila Orellana
Betty May
Marissa J. White
Mehran Habibi
Julie Lange
David Euhus
Vered Stearns
John Fetting
Melissa Camp
Lisa Jacobs
Saraswati Sukumar
author_facet Kala Visvanathan
Ashley Cimino-Mathews
Mary Jo Fackler
Pritesh S. Karia
Christopher J. VandenBussche
Mikiaila Orellana
Betty May
Marissa J. White
Mehran Habibi
Julie Lange
David Euhus
Vered Stearns
John Fetting
Melissa Camp
Lisa Jacobs
Saraswati Sukumar
author_sort Kala Visvanathan
collection DOAJ
description Introduction. Critical regulatory genes are functionally silenced by DNA hypermethylation in breast cancer and premalignant lesions. The objective of this study was to examine whether DNA methylation assessed in random fine needle aspirates (rFNA) can be used to inform breast cancer risk. Methods. In 20 women with invasive breast cancer scheduled for surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital, cumulative methylation status was assessed in a comprehensive manner. rFNA was performed on tumors, adjacent normal tissues, and all remaining quadrants. Pathology review was conducted on blocks from all excised tissue. The cumulative methylation index (CMI) for 12 genes was assessed by a highly sensitive QM-MSP assay in 280 aspirates and tissue from 11 incidental premalignant lesions. Mann–Whitney and Kruskal Wallis tests were used to compare median CMI by patient, location, and tumor characteristics. Results. The median age of participants was 49 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 44–58). DNA methylation was detectable at high levels in all tumor aspirates (median CMI = 252, IQR: 75–111). Methylation was zero or low in aspirates from adjacent tissue (median CMI = 11, IQR: 0–13), and other quadrants (median CMI = 2, IQR: 1–5). Nineteen incidental lesions were identified in 13 women (4 malignant and 15 premalignant). Median CMI levels were not significantly different in aspirates from quadrants (p=0.43) or adjacent tissue (p=0.93) in which 11 methylated incidental lesions were identified. Conclusions. The diagnostic accuracy of methylation based on rFNA alone to detect premalignant lesions or at-risk quadrants is poor and therefore should not be used to evaluate cancer risk. A more targeted approach needs to be evaluated.
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spelling doaj-art-4ea84f50b1ae4414a564cb76fefe091d2024-12-02T07:41:35ZengWileyThe Breast Journal1524-47412022-01-01202210.1155/2022/9533461Evaluating DNA Methylation in Random Fine Needle Aspirates from the Breast to Inform Cancer RiskKala Visvanathan0Ashley Cimino-Mathews1Mary Jo Fackler2Pritesh S. Karia3Christopher J. VandenBussche4Mikiaila Orellana5Betty May6Marissa J. White7Mehran Habibi8Julie Lange9David Euhus10Vered Stearns11John Fetting12Melissa Camp13Lisa Jacobs14Saraswati Sukumar15Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthDepartment of PathologyWomen’s Malignancy ProgramJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthDepartment of PathologyJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthDepartment of PathologyDepartment of Surgical OncologyDepartment of Surgical OncologyDepartment of Surgical OncologyWomen’s Malignancy ProgramWomen’s Malignancy ProgramDepartment of Surgical OncologyDepartment of Surgical OncologyWomen’s Malignancy ProgramIntroduction. Critical regulatory genes are functionally silenced by DNA hypermethylation in breast cancer and premalignant lesions. The objective of this study was to examine whether DNA methylation assessed in random fine needle aspirates (rFNA) can be used to inform breast cancer risk. Methods. In 20 women with invasive breast cancer scheduled for surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital, cumulative methylation status was assessed in a comprehensive manner. rFNA was performed on tumors, adjacent normal tissues, and all remaining quadrants. Pathology review was conducted on blocks from all excised tissue. The cumulative methylation index (CMI) for 12 genes was assessed by a highly sensitive QM-MSP assay in 280 aspirates and tissue from 11 incidental premalignant lesions. Mann–Whitney and Kruskal Wallis tests were used to compare median CMI by patient, location, and tumor characteristics. Results. The median age of participants was 49 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 44–58). DNA methylation was detectable at high levels in all tumor aspirates (median CMI = 252, IQR: 75–111). Methylation was zero or low in aspirates from adjacent tissue (median CMI = 11, IQR: 0–13), and other quadrants (median CMI = 2, IQR: 1–5). Nineteen incidental lesions were identified in 13 women (4 malignant and 15 premalignant). Median CMI levels were not significantly different in aspirates from quadrants (p=0.43) or adjacent tissue (p=0.93) in which 11 methylated incidental lesions were identified. Conclusions. The diagnostic accuracy of methylation based on rFNA alone to detect premalignant lesions or at-risk quadrants is poor and therefore should not be used to evaluate cancer risk. A more targeted approach needs to be evaluated.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2022/9533461
spellingShingle Kala Visvanathan
Ashley Cimino-Mathews
Mary Jo Fackler
Pritesh S. Karia
Christopher J. VandenBussche
Mikiaila Orellana
Betty May
Marissa J. White
Mehran Habibi
Julie Lange
David Euhus
Vered Stearns
John Fetting
Melissa Camp
Lisa Jacobs
Saraswati Sukumar
Evaluating DNA Methylation in Random Fine Needle Aspirates from the Breast to Inform Cancer Risk
The Breast Journal
title Evaluating DNA Methylation in Random Fine Needle Aspirates from the Breast to Inform Cancer Risk
title_full Evaluating DNA Methylation in Random Fine Needle Aspirates from the Breast to Inform Cancer Risk
title_fullStr Evaluating DNA Methylation in Random Fine Needle Aspirates from the Breast to Inform Cancer Risk
title_full_unstemmed Evaluating DNA Methylation in Random Fine Needle Aspirates from the Breast to Inform Cancer Risk
title_short Evaluating DNA Methylation in Random Fine Needle Aspirates from the Breast to Inform Cancer Risk
title_sort evaluating dna methylation in random fine needle aspirates from the breast to inform cancer risk
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2022/9533461
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