STRUCTURAL-ABERRATIONS OF CHROMOSOME-6 IN 3 UTERINE SMOOTH-MUSCLE TUMORS

Clonal karyotypic alterations of chromosome 6 in three uterine smooth muscle tumors are reported. In all cases an apparently identical break point on the short arm of chromosome 6 was found. Two cases displayed the histologic features of cell-rich myomas with severe nuclear atypia but no clear evidence for malignancy. The remaining case was a primar y uterine leiomyosarcoma of an 80-year-old patient showing an apparent ly balanced reciprocal chromosomal translocation, t(1;6)(p32-33;p21.3) , as the sole karyotypic abnormality. This type of aberration has not been reported before in leiomyosarcomas. Because of the nuclear atypia in the other myomas with a breakpoint involving the short arm of chro mosome 6 we feel that this cytogenetically recognizable but rare subgr oup of uterine smooth muscle tumors warrants a careful clinical follow -up.