Molecular evidence of field cancerization in a patient with 7 tumors of the aerodigestive tract

Exposure of the mucosa of the upper aerodigestive tract to carcinogens can induce genetic changes resulting in various independent clones of neoplasti c growth, a concept defined as "field cancerization." The risk of developin g multiple tumors in this compartment of the body is well established. We s tudied 6 distinct tumors of the upper aerodigestive tract of a single patie nt for loss of heterozygosity (LOH), microsatellite instability (MSI), p53 mutations, and K-ras codon 12 point mutations. We detected a unique pattern of LOH and p53 mutations in all 6 tumors. No tumor showed a K-ras mutation or MSI. The results support the mechanism of "field cancerization" and ill ustrate the potential power of molecular techniques to elucidate pathogenes is. Copyright (C) 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company.