Comparison of chromosomal imbalances in neuroendocrine and non-small-cell lung carcinomas

Lung carcinomas are represented by non-small-cell lung carcinomas (NSCLC) a nd neuroendocrine carcinomas (NE) which differ in their clinical presentati on and prognosis. We used comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) to charac terize and compare the chromosomal pattern of 11 NSCLC and 11 high-grade NE lung carcinomas. Overall, the total number of aberrations was higher in NS CLC than in high-grade NE lung tumors (p < 0.05) and gains predominated ove r losses in NSCLC (p < 0.0003). Gains common to both lung tumor phenotypes were detected in 1p, 1q, 3q, 5p, 6p, 8q, 12, 17q, 19p, 19q, 20p, 20q, and X , whereas common losses were found in 2q, 3p, 4p, 4q, 5q, 8p, 9p, 10p, 11p 11q, 13q, and 17p. Major gains on 18q and losses on 2p and 16q were exclusi vely detected in high-grade NE lung tumors. On the other hand, major gains on 2p and 15q and losses on 21q were found only in NSCLC. Furthermore, gain s within 22q11 similar to q12 and 7p12 similar to p15 were associated with NSCLC(p < 0.05). The differences in the pattern and distribution of genetic changes observed in NSCLC as opposed to high-grade NE lung carcinomas sugg est the existence of distinct tumorigenic pathways between these toro major classes of lung tumors. (C) Elsevier Science Inc., 1999. All rights reserv ed.