Copy-number analysis of topoisomerase and thymidylate synthase genes in frozen and FFPE DNAs of colorectal cancers.

Background: Archived formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded specimens represent an important resource for pharmacogenomic analysis in retrospective clinical studies but the quality of results from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples is of concern due to the fact of the degradation of DNAs and RNAs from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues. Methods: In the present study, we used DNA from fresh frozen as well as formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor to detect copy-number changes in colorectal cancer, and our data shows that formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded DNAs were able to deliver reliable copy-number data, and that quantitative PCR had the ability to detect copy-number changes from deletion to amplification, with high concordance of copy-number calls among formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded and frozen DNAs. Results: The amplification of topoisomerase I and deletion of thymidylate synthase were found in 23% (12/52) and 27% (14/52) of colorectal cancers, but EGF receptor amplification was not common...