Pediatric pancreatoblastoma: histopathologic and cytogenetic characterization of tumor and derived cell line

Little is known of the molecular events underlying the genesis of pancreatoblastoma tumors in the pediatric population. Such studies have been limited by the rare nature of the disease, infrequent reports detailing cytogenetic alterations, and the lack of availability of cell lines for biologic studies. We present the isolation of a cell line from a 14-year-old boy with malignant pancreatoblastoma, and its cytogenetic characterization using spectral karyotyping and comparative genomic hybridization (CGH). The cytogenetic analysis revealed an exceedingly complex cytogenetic karyotype, with 33 aberrant chromosomes. CGH revealed multiple regions of chromosomal loss and gain, including a region on 8q gained in adult pancreatic cancers, one that frequently contains the MYC oncogene.