CHROMOSOME-ABNORMALITIES IN SQUAMOUS-CELL CARCINOMA OF THE URETHRA

Cytogenetic analysis of short-term cultured cells from a urethral squa mous cell carcinoma showed the tumor to have an abnormal, karyotypical ly complex near-diploid clone as well as its near-tetraploid duplicate . This is the first urethral carcinoma with chromosomal abnormalities to be reported. Chromosomes Y, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 11, and 20 were all i nvolved in numerical and/or structural rearrangements. Of particular i nterest was the fact that no rearrangements of chromosomes 9 and 17, b oth almost ubiquitously involved in transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary tract, were seen. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.