Genomic alterations in distal bile duet carcinoma by comparative genomic hybridization and karyotype analysis

We report genomic abnormalities identified in 14 human primary common bile duct carcinomas analyzed by cytogenetics or comparative genomic hybridizati on, or both. Combining the results of the two methods of analysis, 11 chrom osomal arms were observed to be gained in whole or in part, and 9 chromosom al arms were lost in whole or in part in at least four tumors each. The mos t frequently lost chromosomal regions were, in decreasing order: 18q (eight tumors); 6q and 10p (seven tumors each); 8p, 12q, and 17p (six tumors each ); and 7q, 12p, and 22q (four tumors each). The most frequently gained regi ons were 8q and 20q (six tumors each); 12p, 17q, and Xp (five tumors each); and 2q, 6p, 7p, 11q, 13q, and 19q (four tumors each). These results are si milar to those we have previously reported in pancreatic cancer and suggest that carcinomas of the common bile duct and pancreas share a number of gen etic changes. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.