A familial case of renal cell carcinoma and a t(2;3) chromosome translocation

Cytogenetic analysis was performed on peripheral blood lymphocytes of members of a family with inherited renal cell cancer. Four family members in three generations developed multiple/bilateral renal cell carcinomas of the clear cell type. In one additional case a bladder carcinoma was diagnosed. In two of the renal cell carcinoma patients a constitutional t(2;3)(q35;q21) was encountered, whereas in the two other (deceased) patients the presence of this translocation could be deduced. Also, the bladder cancer patient was found to be positive for t(2;3)(q35;q21). This is the third familial renal cell carcinoma-associated chromosomal translocation ever described. The previously reported cases also involved chromosome 3, thereby supporting the notion that this chromosome may play a crucial role in the development of renal cell carcinomas. Interestingly, the translocation breakpoints in these three families map at different locations, suggesting that multiple genes on chromosome 3 may be involved.