Clonal chromosome abnormalities in enchondromas and chondrosarcomas

We report cytogenetic findings in short-term cell cultures from five enchon dromas and four chondrosarcomas. Clonal chromosome aberrations were found i n one case of enchondroma, and in all cases of chondrosarcoma. The only enc hondroma with nonrandom abnormalities had a reciprocal f(8;17)(q23;p13), an d monosomies 9, 19, and/or 22. In contrast to the few karyotypic findings i n one of five enchondromas, the four chondrosarcomas were commonly characte rized by cytogenetic heterogeneity, with a tendency for increasing karyotyp ic complexity in higher grade tumors. Two cases, one grade III and one meta stasizing grade II chondrosarcoma, revealed hypodiploid stem- and sidelines with loss of chromosomes 6, 10, 13, 14, and 22, as common chromosomal abno rmalities, suggesting a distinct karyotypic pattern in a subset of biologic ally aggressive chondrosarcomas. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science me. All rights r eserved.