MAPPING OF CHROMOSOMAL IMBALANCES IN PANCREATIC-CARCINOMA BY COMPARATIVE GENOMIC HYBRIDIZATION

To identify recurrent chromosomal imbalances in pancreatic adenocarcin oma, 27 tumors were analyzed by using comparative genomic hybridizatio n. In 23 cases chromosomal imbalances were found. Gains of chromosomal material were much more frequent than losses. The most common overrep resentations were observed on chromosomes 16p (eight cases), 20q (seve n cases), 22q (six cases), and 17q (five cases) and under-representati ons on a subregion of chromosome 9p (eight cases). Distinct high-level amplifications were found on 1p32-p34, 6q24, 7q22, 12p13, and 22q. Th ese data provide evidence for a number of new cytogenetically defined recurrent aberrations which are characteristic of pancreatic carcinoma . The overrepresented or underrepresented chromosomal regions represen t candidate regions for potential oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes , respectively, possibly involved in pancreatic tumorigenesis.