CANDIDATE REGIONS FOR TESTICULAR CANCER SUSCEPTIBILITY GENES

Although the aetiology of testicular cancer is unknown, a clear famili al component has been identified in a number of studies. In an effort to identify susceptibility genes for testicular cancer, the Internatio nal Testis Cancer Linkage Consortium has been collecting families with multiple cases of testicular cancer. These families have been genotyp ed for a set of markers across the genome in two separate studies. The family information has also been pooled across the two studies so tha t the combined evidence can be assessed. While no genomic region gives overwhelming support for a testicular cancer predisposition gene, sev eral regions, notably on chromosomes 3, 5, 12 and 18 show suggestive e vidence worthy of further examination. The Consortium is now attemptin g to identify further families in an attempt to confirm or deny these leads.