ALLELIC LOSS IN OVARIAN-CANCER

Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) was examined at 86 loci distributed on ev ery chromosomal arm in 50 human ovarian tumors. Frequent allele losses were observed on chromosomes 13q (42%),17p (42%), 17q (45%), and Xp ( 41%). Deletion mapping on chromosome 17 revealed a candidate gene on t he long arm distal to D17S41/S74 for ovarian cancer which is distant f rom the locus for early onset breast cancer. LOH on chromosome 17q was found to be concordant with LOH on chromosomes 3p, 13q, 17p and Xp su ggesting that it may be an early event in neoplastic development. Thes e findings indicate that multiple tumor-suppressor genes for ovarian c ancer possibly exist on chromosomes 13q, 17, and/or Xp and provide the basis for the identification of candidate gene(s) associated with ova rian cancer. The chromosomal mechanisms resulting in allele losses in ovarian cancer include deletion, deletion/duplication, mitotic recombi nation and monosomy, in concordance with the developed genetic model. (C) 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.