The Vysis Esophageal FISH Probe Kit is designed to detect copy number of ERBB2 (17q12), p16 (9p21), MYC (8q24) and ZNF217 (20q13.2) loci via fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in cytology (esophageal brushing) specimens and in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded esophageal tissue specimens.

The Vysis Esophageal FISH Probe Kit uses 4 Locus-Specific Identifier (LSI) probes to identify copy number changes of the ERBB2 (17q12), p16 (9p21), MYC (8q24), and ZNF217 (20q13.2) chromosomal loci, using a multi-color FISH test. These 4 loci have been shown to be associated with dysplasia and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) in patients with Barrett’s esophagus (BE). BE is believed to increase the risk of EAC. The rise in incidence of this pre-malignant condition has been linked to a rapid increase in the incidence of EAC in Western European countries, Canada, and the US. The incidence of EAC has been growing at a rate exceeding that of any other cancer, 4 to 10% annually over the past 2 decades, while the 5-year survival rate remains less than 10%.
 

The Vysis Esophageal FISH Probe Kit contains fluorescently-labeled nucleic acid probes for use in in situ hybridization assays on esophageal brushing cytology specimens fixed on slides, or on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded human esophageal tissue. The Vysis Esophageal FISH Probe Kit is a 4-color mixture of 4 DNA probe sequences. The probes are pre-mixed in hybridization buffer for ease of use. Unlabeled blocking DNA is also included with the probes to suppress sequences contained within the target loci that are common to other chromosomes. When hybridized and visualized, these probes provide information on chromosome copy number. The ERBB2 probe is labeled with SpectrumGreen and covers an approximately 226 kb (chr17:35004678-35230380 March 2006 UCSC Human Genome Browser) region that encompasses the entire ERBB2 gene on chromosome 17. The p16 probe is labeled with SpectrumRed and covers an approximately 222 kb (chr9:21778963- 22001169 March 2006 UCSC Human Genome Browser) region that encompasses the entire p16 gene on chromosome 9 as well as adjacent regions. The MYC probe is labeled with SpectrumAqua and covers an approximately 821 kb (chr8:128432540-129253747 March 2006 UCSC Human Genome Browser) region that encompasses the entire MYC gene on chromosome 8 as well as adjacent regions. The ZNF217 probe is labeled with SpectrumGold and covers an approximately 433 kb (chr20:51,411,118- 51,844,324 March 2006 UCSC Human Genome Browser) region that encompasses the entire ZNF217 gene on chromosome 20 as well as adjacent regions.