Array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) study of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) small gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) less than 1 cm in greatest diameter (microGISTs). Homo sapiens

To investigate the cytogenetic and large-scale chromosomal changes in involuted or non-involuted microGISTs using post-whole genome amplification (WGA) FFPE DNA materials Overall design: Sixteen patients, total 19 FFPE tumor samples (block storage time 4 months to 9 years), including 16 microGISTs and 3 GISTs larger than 1 cm from the same patients harboring microGISTs. All FFPE tumor samples underwent DNA extraction and WGA (modified degenerate oligonucleotide PCR (DOP) method, provided by Sigma). For each tumor sample, a post-WGA DNA extract from the normal tissue in the same block (or block from the same patient with a block storage time differences less than 2 years) was obtained for tumor sample DNA co-hybridization. Tumor and normal areas of interest were marked and collected from 5- to 10-micron unstained or hematoxylin-stained sections by manual or laser (PixCell IITM, Arcturus Bioscience, CA, USA) microdissection. DNAs were then extracted. WGA was performed using GenomePlex® Tissue Whole Genome Amplification WGA5 kit (Sigma, Saint Louis, MO, USA; http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/) in parallel in accordance with the manufacturer's protocols. At least four independent experiments were concurrently performed per template amplification. Four separate WGA reaction products were pooled for each sample.