Unbalanced translocation t(1;3)(p12-13;q11) in meningiomas as the unique feature of chordoid differentiation

Chordoid meningioma is a rare histological subtype of meningiomas. Cytogene tic analysis of three cases revealed the unique feature of an unbalanced tr anslocation der(1)t(1;3)(p12-13;q11) that was ascertained by chromosome mic rodissection and reverse fluorescence in situ hybridization. As the t(1;3) has not been observed in other subtypes of meningioma, it may represent a s pecific cytogenetic marker of chordoid meningiomas. It is not yet clear whe ther a fusion gene or the combined loss of genes from chromosome arms 1p an d 3p is the pathogenetically important outcome of the translocation. (C) 19 99 Wiley-Liss, Inc.