Microsatellite instability in European hepatocellular carcinoma

Genetic instability has been detected in many types of cancers but poorly i nvestigated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We have studied the incidenc e of microsatellite instability (MI) at eight highly polymorphic microsatel lite markers and the poly A tract BAT26 and tested for mutations at two sit es of repetitive sequence (poly-A nucleotides 709-718 and GT repeat-nucleot ides 1931-1936) in the Transforming Growth Factor beta (TGF beta) type II r eceptor (RII) gene, in a group of 46 European HCCs and the surrounding nont umour tissue. This analysis showed that 63% of HCCs exhibit MI in at least one chromosome locus and 41% in two or more loci. No mutations of the TGF b eta RII gene were found in the MI positive tumours. No correlation was foun d with clinicopathological characteristics of the tumours such as cirrhosis , etiology, number of nodules, Edmondson's grade and vascular invasion. How ever, in patients who had a rearranged D16S402 microsatellite in their tumo ur, the recurrent disease and the number of nodules were significantly high er than in the others (P<0.005 and P<0.02, respectively). We propose to con sider D16S402 rearrangement in HCC as a prognostic factor to identify patie nts presenting a higher risk of recurrence.