UNBALANCED TRANSLOCATION RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF THE CHROMOSOME-17 SHORT ARM IN AN OSTEOBLASTOMA

We report results of the first cytogenetic study of an osteoblastoma. Cells from the tumor were characterized by a three-way unbalanced tran slocation involving chromosomes 15, 17, and 20. As a consequence of th e translocation, most of one chromosome 17 short arm appears to have b een lost. This loss suggests the possibility that loss of 17p DNA sequ ences may be involved in early changes leading to neoplastic prolifera tion of osteoblasts.