UNSTABLE CHROMOSOME-ABERRATIONS IN BLADDER AND RENAL-CELL CARCINOMA

Structural chromosome aberrations were investigated in 18 bladder carcinoma and 14 renal cell carcinoma patients. Unstable chromosome aberrations, such as breaks, gaps, minutes, and fragments, appeared in varying proportion. Double minutes (dmin) were also observed. In bladder carcinoma, 10 kinds of aberration were observed in 38.8% of the metaphase analyzed, and, in renal cell carcinoma, 7 kinds of aberrations were observed in 15.0%. The frequency of chromosome aberrations observed, and the occurrence of dmin and of aneuploidy, were correlated positively with histopathological grade and stage. From the results obtained here, we conclude that study of chromosome aberrations should be added as one of investigations for evaluating the malignant potential of the tumors.