Impact of Routine Cytogenetic Analysis in Fresh ​ Bone and Soft Tissue Specimens

Summary: Karyotype analysis is a well-established method used in the diagnosis of bone and soft tissue tumors. However, with the advent and increasing availability of more advanced methods, such as Next Generation Sequencing, we investigated the role a karyotype currently plays in the diagnosis of these tumors, including the identification of molecular abnormalities (i.e. copy number alterations) that are more difficult to detect with other modalities of testing. Unlike more costly ancillary techniques, karyotype analysis is only possible in fresh tissue, therefore we will evaluate whether there are certain situations in which we can recommend collection of fresh tissue.