Different numerical chromosomal aberrations detected by FISH in oropharyngeal, hypopharyngeal and laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Aims: Little information is available about stage- or site-specific chromos omal aberrations in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We tried to identify whether different patterns of chromosomal gain or loss in squa mous cell carcinomas were associated with different stages or head and neck sites. Methods snd results: We investigated isolated interphase cells from paraffi n sections of 53 squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck region by fl uorescence in situ hybridization techniques. We used centromeric DNA probes for chromosomes 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 17, 18, X and Y. The maj ority of tumour samples showed aneuploidy for most chromosomes analysed. We were able to find differences in the chromosomal aberrations between the t umour sites and stages of the HNSCC investigated. The main numerical chromo somal abnormalities were an underrepresentation of chromosomes 3 (26%), 6 ( 17%), 9 (26%), 10 (23%) and 18 (32%). The Y chromosome was lost in 53% of m ale rumours. A loss of chromosomes 3 and 10 was detected mostly in laryngea l SCC (39% and 30%, respectively); the under-representation of chromosome 9 was predominantly seen in oropharyngeal SCC (54%) and a copy number decrea se of chromosomes 18 was found in 57% of hypopharyngeal tumours, Conclusion: Although the number of tumour samples investigated is rather lo w our results suggest that the different tumour sites of HNSCC may also sho w different patterns of chromosomal changes.