Allelic losses at 8p, 10q, 11p, 13q, 16q, 17p, and 18q in prostatic carcinomas: The impact of zonal location, Gleason grade, and tumour multifocality

Molecular genetic investigations have made it clear that the development an d progression of prostate cancer is associated with lasses of genetic mater ial in certain chromosomal arms. However, there are only few data about the question of whether the zonal location, a higher Gleason grade, or multifo cality of the tumour have any influence on the pattern of allelic losses. In the present study, 48 tumour foci from 32 radical prostatectomy specimen s were investigated for allelic losses at chromosomes 8p, 10q, 11p, 13q, 16 q, 17p, and 18q with a set of 20 microsatellite markers. The results were a nalysed for the zonal location of the tumour foci and the presence of a Gle ason grade 4 differentiation Overall, focal allelic losses at 8p, 10q, 11p, 13q, 16q, 17p, and 18q were observed in 62.5%, 17.2%,. 3.2%, 18.8%, 40%, 9.7%, and 22.6% of the 32 case s, respectively. Comparing the frequencies of allelic losses with the zonal location or the Gleason grade, no highly significant correlations were fou nd at any chromosomal locus investigated. However, the observation of diffe rent patterns of allelic losses in 12 of 14 cases containing more than one tumour focus indicates a high rate of genetic heterogeneity. We conclude that allelic losses at the chromosomal loci investigated are no t strongly associated with a specific zonal location or a higher Gleason gr ade of prostatic carcinoma. Genetic heterogeneity of multiple tumour foci w ithin one gland might contribute to the difficulties in predicting the prog nosis for this common malignancy.