Profiling cytogenetic diversity with entropy-based karyotypic analysis

Regardless the high degree of variation observed in solid tumor karyotypes, the use of diversity as a measurable phenomenon remains unexplored. Here we present a systematic cytogenetic analysis using Shannon's entropy as a measure for karyotypic diversity. Karyotypes from 14 epithelial tumor types (n = 1232) have the aneuploidy status scored, resulting in highly asymmetrical sample distribution, for which we determine the index of diversity (Shannon H') of structural and numerical chromosomal aberrations. Since karyotypic diversity is tissue-specific, this approach may give rise to new insights into the processes that may account for aneuploidy progression and solid tumor outcomes. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.