Genetic aberrations detected by comparative genomic hybridization in biliary tract cancers

In order to elucidate cytogenetic changes characteristic of biliary tract cancer, we examined the genetic imbalances in 18 biliary tract cancers using comparative genomic hybridization (CGH). The most common sites of increases in copy number, in order of frequency, were 17q (33% of the cases), 5p (28%), 3q (22%), 7p (22%), 8q (22%), and 12p (22%), whereas copy number decreases of 6q (28%), 18q (28%), 4q (22%), 5q (22%), and 9p (22%) were frequent. The average number of chromosomal aberrations was significantly greater in stage IV than in stage III tumors (7.9 vs. 2.2/tumor, p < 0.05). The frequent aberrations detected in this study may be related to the development and/or progression of biliary tract cancers; This is the first report on CGH of biliary tract cancers.