Automated method for detecting cancers and high grade hyperplasias

Abstract

Automated methods for detecting cancer and related hyperplasias in biological samples.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An automated method of screening for the presence and/or extent of a pathology in a subject, the pathology characterized by an abnormal chromosomal component in a cell of the subject, comprising the steps of a) contacting a biological sample comprising cell nuclei from said subject with one or more distinguishable labeled probes directed to at least one chromosomal sequence that characterizes the abnormality under conditions that promote hybridization of the one or more probes to the at least one sequence; b) automatically obtaining a representation of the one or more distinguishable labels hybridized to the chromosomal sequences; c) automatically analyzing the distribution and intensity of binding of the one or more labels in the representation to determine the presence and/or extent of an abnormal chromosomal component; and d) automatically reporting results of the analysis of step c); wherein steps b)-d) are carried out without intervention by a human. 
     
     
         2 . The method described in  claim 1  wherein an automated microscope system carries out steps b)-d). 
     
     
         3 . The method described in  claim 1  wherein a probe targets at least one of a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), a mutated sequence, a duplicated or amplified gene or portion thereof, a centromere of chromosome 3, a centromere of chromosome 7, and a sequence comprising the TERC gene or a portion thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method described in  claim 1  further comprising contacting the sample under the hybridizing conditions with a tagged reference probe directed to a chromosomal locus known not to be abnormal, or contacting the sample with a reference stain, and referencing the representing and analysis steps to the reference probe or stain. 
     
     
         5 . An automated method of screening for an abnormality related to a cancer, a high grade hyperplasia or a high grade dysplasia in a subject, comprising the steps of: a) obtaining a biological sample comprising nuclei from the subject; b) contacting the nuclei in the sample with a first probe bearing a first detectable label directed to a chromosomal sequence related to the abnormality under conditions that promote hybridization of the probes to targeted chromosomal loci; c) contacting the sample under the hybridizing conditions with at least one of a detectably labeled reference probe directed to a chromosomal locus known not to be abnormal and a reference stain; d) automatically imaging the labels bound to the chromosomal sequences, and imaging the stain if used; e) automatically analyzing an image for the distribution and intensity of hybridized labels and stain if used; and f) automatically reporting results of the analysis of step e); wherein steps d)-f) are performed without intervention by a human; thereby providing an assessment of the abnormality in the subject. 
     
     
         6 . The method described in  claim 5  wherein an automated microscope performs steps d)-f). 
     
     
         7 . The method described in  claim 5  wherein prior to the contacting step the nuclei are isolated from the sample and are deposited to form a layer. 
     
     
         8 . The method described in  claim 5  wherein the sample comprises one or more of a biopsy, surgical resection specimen, blood, lymph, urine, an effusion fluid, a biological fluid, an epithelial scraping, a lavage fluid, aspiration fluid, sputum, and a tissue. 
     
     
         9 . The method described in  claim 5  wherein a label is a fluorescent label. 
     
     
         10 . The method described in  claim 5  wherein a probe targets at least one of a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), a mutated sequence, a duplicated or amplified gene or portion thereof a centromere of chromosome 3, a centromere of chromosome 7, and a sequence comprising the TERC gene or a portion thereof. 
     
     
         11 . An automated method for monitoring the efficacy over time of a course of therapy in the treatment of a cancer or high grade hyperplasia in a patient, said method comprising the steps of (a) obtaining from the patient a fluid biological sample in which cells associated with the cancer or high grade hyperplasia are found; (b) treating said fluid biological sample or a portion thereof with one or more detectably labeled chromosomal probes having a high degree of sequence similarity to one or more chromosomal loci associated with, or whose amplification is associated with, said cancer or high grade hyperplasia, under conditions sufficient to enable hybridization of said probes to chromosomes in the sample; (c) automatically scanning said treated fluid biological sample and detecting said one or more labels bound to any chromosomes in said sample; (d) automatically detecting the number of cells associated with said chromosomes hybridized to said chromosomal probes; and (e) automatically comparing the hybridization patterns of a label and cell number results provided in steps (c) and (d) at differing times in the therapeutic treatment course, thereby evaluating the efficacy of the therapy in the treatment of the cancer or high grade hyperplasia. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein monitoring is performed at intervals of 1 day or greater. 
     
     
         13 . The method described in  claim 11  wherein the fluid biological sample comprises one or more of blood, lymph, urine, an effusion fluid, an epithelial scraping, a lavage fluid, aspiration fluid, and sputum. 
     
     
         14 . The method described in  claim 11  wherein an automated microscope system performs steps (c)-(e) without intervention by a human. 
     
     
         15 . The method described in  claim 14  wherein the automated microscope system automatically optimizes the field scanning the sample. 
     
     
         16 . The method described in  claim 14  wherein the automated microscope scans two or more planes in a field of the sample. 
     
     
         17 . The method described in  claim 11  wherein a probe targets at least one of a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), a mutated sequence, a duplicated or amplified gene or portion thereof, a centromere of chromosome 3, a centromere of chromosome 7, and a sequence comprising the TERC gene or a portion thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The method described in  claim 11  wherein a patient obtains samples without assistance from another human. 
     
     
         19 . A method on a computerized microscope system of screening for cervical cancer cells comprising the steps of:
 a) automatically receiving a microscope slide containing a biological sample comprising nuclei, said biological sample having been contacted with a first nuclear centromeric probe bearing a first detectable label directed either to chromosome 3 and/or chromosome 7, and a second nuclear non-centromeric probe bearing a second detectable label directed to single copy sequences on the q arm of chromosome 3 wherein said single copy sequences comprises a contig sequence of four overlapping BAC clones containing at least a portion of the TERC gene at chromosomal location 3q26, and counterstained with DAPI, wherein said first and second probes are contacted under conditions that promote hybridization of each said first and second probe to the respective chromosomal loci;   b) automatically searching said microscope slide for DAPI stained areas within said biological sample;   c) automatically searching said DAPI stained areas for the presence of label of said first nuclear centromeric probe and label of said second nuclear non-centromeric probe;   d) automatically quantitatively determining the ratio of label of said second nuclear non-centromeric probe to said first nuclear centromeric probe in each DAPI stained area within said biological sample; and   e) automatically designating the biological sample as comprising a potential cervical cancer cell when said ratio of said second nuclear non-centromeric probe to said first nuclear centromeric probe in one or more DAPI stained areas is abnormal.