CHROMOSOME INSTABILITY IN LYMPHOCYTES FROM PATIENTS AFFECTED BY OR GENETICALLY PREDISPOSED TO COLORECTAL-CANCER

To determine whether there are chromosomal clues to inherited forms of colorectal cancer, we studied chromosome instability in lymphocytes c ultured from persons with sporadic colorectal cancer before treatment and from persons with a generic predisposition to colorectal cancer du e to adenomatous polyposis coli, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, or juvenile p olyposis. Spontaneous aberrations of chromosome number and structure w ere scored and compared to control studies by the same methods. Sex ch romosome aneuploidy was found increased in patients. Autosomal aneuplo idy was not increased. Chromosome breakage was elevated in young perso ns genetically predisposed to colorectal cancer compared to young pati ents with sporadic colorectal cancer. Chromosome rearrangements, other than those of chromosomes 7 and/or 14, rose with age, particularly in patients. Despite considerable interindividual variations, it would s eem that increased chromosome breakage and rearrangement in addition t o sex chromosome aneuploidy may be signs of chromosome instability in the predisposition to colorectal cancer.