We have examined 17 primary undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma
biopsies for allelic loss on 3p, comparing the findings in tumors with
those in normal lymphocyte DNA from the same patients. Ten polymorphi
c microsatellite markers were used between 3p13 and 3p26. Allelic loss
was observed in 12 samples (70%). Two loci were most frequently affec
ted: D3S1067 (3p21.1-14.3) in 60% and D3S1217 (3p14.2-14.1) in 58%. On
e tumor seemed to have a homozygous deletion at 3p26, detected by the
D3S1297 marker. Analysis of the clinical data showed that an increased
number of aberrations in 3p was correlated with more advanced tumor s
tages. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.