CYTOGENETIC STUDIES IN ENDOMETRIOSIS TISSUE

We analyzed 45 pelvic endometrial implants from 42 patients between th e ages of 14 and 40 years to investigate whether cytogenetic abnormali ties were present in these samples. Chromosomal abnormalities have bee n described in benign tumors of the female genital tract, such as uter ine leiomyomas and endometrial polyps. Furthermore, heritable factors have been postulated to influence a woman's susceptibility to develop endometrial tissue implants outside the uterine cavity. To study wheth er these factors result in or are associated with chromosomal changes, endometriosis cells were analyzed cytogenetically after short-term cu lture. No consistent chromosome abnormalities were observed in any of the cases analyzed.