CYTOGENETIC FINDINGS IN 3 PRIMARY HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMAS

Short-term cultures of three primary hepatocellular carcinomas were cytogenetically analyzed. Case 1 displayed a normal karyotype. Case 2 had, in addition to cells with a normal male chromosome complement, a clone with -Y. In case 3, two abnormal clones were found, one with -Y and one with a highly aberrant karyotype: 71-79, XX, -Y, (3n+/-), +3, -8, -16, -17, -21, dez(1)t(1;?) (p36;?), del(1)(p11), + dez(1)t(1;?)(q21;?), + del(1)(q32), + der(3)t(1;?;3)(3qter --> 3p11 = ? = 1p12 --> 1p36 = ?), der(6)t(6;8)(q12;q13), + der(6), 9p+, + del(9)(q13), del(10)(q24), dez(12)t(12;?)(p13;?), inv dup(12)(q11q24), der(13)t(10;13)(q11;p13), + 1-9mar. Our results, collated with the findings in one previously published primary hepatocellular carcinoma and in three cell lines, suggest that structural changes of chromosomes 1 and 6, leading to loss of 1p and 6q material, and loss of chromosome 16 are frequent events in hepatocellular carcinogenesis.