COMPLEX CHROMOSOMAL CHANGES IN A PRIMARY SQUAMOUS CARCINOMA OF THE PAROTID-GLAND

The chromosomal observations in a cultured primary epidermoid carcinom a of the parotid gland are reported. The tumour had a flat hypertriplo id mode with 7 recurrent wholly or partially identified marker types a nd 7-13 additional, mostly recurrent, markers, whose origin could not be clarified. There were also many recurring numerical deviations in m ost tumour cells. The picture was consistent with a neoplasm in an adv anced stage of chromosomal progression. So far, 6q- markers with varyi ng morphology are the only deviations found in most types of malignant salivary tumours and, in particular, in a high percentage of adenoidc ystic carcinomas. One possible explanation for these observations is t he occurrence of one or more suppressor genes in 6q which may have rel evance for malignant neoplasia in salivary gland tissues.