Detection of high grade dysplasia in cervical cells

Abstract

Methods of using probes and probe sets for the detection of high grade dysplasia and carcinoma in cervical cells are described. Methods of the invention include hybridizing one or more chromosomal probes to a biological sample obtained from a subject and detecting the hybridization pattern of the chromosomal probes to the sample to determine whether the subject has high grade dysplasia or carcinoma. Methods of the invention also include preliminary screening the cells for a marker associated with a risk for cancer.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for screening for high grade dysplasia in a subject, the method comprising: 
 (a) obtaining a biological sample from the subject;    (b) contacting a set of one or more chromosomal probes able to selectively detect high grade dysplasia in the biological sample under conditions sufficient to enable hybridization of the probes to chromosomes in the sample if any; and    (c) detecting the hybridization pattern of the chromosomal probes to the biological sample to determine whether the subject has high grade dysplasia.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the biological sample comprises a biopsy.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the biological sample comprises a cervical smear or cervical scrape sample.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the chromosomal probes are fluorescently labeled.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the set of one or more chromosomal probes is characterized by a vector value of less then about 60.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the set of one or more chromosomal probes is characterized by a vector value of less than about 40.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the set of one or more chromosomal probes is characterized by a vector value of less than about 30.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the set of one or more chromosomal probes comprises a probe selected from the group of probes for the specific loci 3q26 and 8q24.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the set of one or more chromosomal probes comprises probes for the specific loci 3q26 and 8q24.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the set of one or more chromosomal probes comprises probes for the specific loci 8q24, 3q26, Xp22 and CEP 15.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the set of one or more chromosomal probes comprises probes for the specific loci 8q24, 20q13, Xp22 and CEP 15.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the set of one or more chromosomal probes comprises probes for the specific loci 3p21, 3 p14, 3q26 and CEP 3.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein cells from the biological sample are prescreened for a marker associated with risk for cancer.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein cells from the biological sample are prescreened for infection by HPV.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the sample is screened for infection by one or more of the high risk HPV types 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 42, 52, 55 and 58.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein cells from the biological sample are prescreened for the presence of a cell cycle protein or a cell proliferation marker.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the cell cycle protein is p16 or Cyclin E.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the cell proliferation marker is the protein Ki67 or the protein PCNA.