RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 H19 expression in hepatic metastases from a range of human carcinomas JF Journal of Clinical Pathology JO J Clin Pathol FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Association of Clinical Pathologists SP 1064 OP 1068 DO 10.1136/jcp.2004.023648 VO 58 IS 10 A1 Y Fellig A1 I Ariel A1 P Ohana A1 P Schachter A1 I Sinelnikov A1 T Birman A1 S Ayesh A1 T Schneider A1 N de Groot A1 A Czerniak A1 A Hochberg YR 2005 UL http://jcp.bmj.com/content/58/10/1064.abstract AB Aims: To investigate the expression of the imprinted oncofetal H19 gene in hepatic metastases derived from a range of human carcinomas and assess its prognostic value with the view of developing a DNA based treatment for such metastases. Methods: Non-radioactive in situ hybridisation for H19 RNA was performed on paraffin wax embedded sections of liver biopsies or partial hepatectomy specimens, taken from 80 patients with hepatic metastases derived from carcinomas from several medical centres in Israel. The degree of expression was graded qualitatively according to the number of cells expressing H19 and the intensity of staining. The medical files were searched for demographic data and survival times before and after diagnosis of hepatic metastases. Results: H19 expression was found in the hepatic metastases of 64 of 80 patients. High expression (higher staining grades) of H19 in the metastases was found in 43 of 80 patients. However, H19 expression status in the hepatic metastases did not correlate with either the length of time to development of metastasis or overall survival. Conclusions: H19 is highly expressed in more than half of hepatic metastases derived from a range of carcinomas. Thus, these metastases may be suitable candidates for H19 DNA based treatment. Further studies are needed to determine whether H19 expression has prognostic value in metastatic liver disease using larger numbers of specific subtypes of primary carcinomas.