Full cytogenetic characterization of a new neuroblastoma cell line with a complex 17q translocation

Recent studies have shown that structural abnormalities of chromosome 17 re sulting in gain of material are the most frequent genetic changes in neurob lastoma. We have established a new neuroblastoma cell line from a patient w hose disease had evolved from stage 4s to 4, without evidence of deletion o f the short arm of chromosome 1 and MYCN amplification, which are considere d the most typical genetic indicators of aggressive disease. The cytogeneti c study allowed a full characterization of the chromosome changes, and reve aled a complex translocation of chromosome 17 leading to a derivative marke r which may be described as follows: der(11)t(11;17)(p15;q12)t(11;17)(q22;q 12). This resulted in a gain of part of the long arms of chromosome 17, whi ch was recently associated with poor prognosis. (C) Elsevier Science Inc., 1999. All rights reserved.