Loss of heterozygosity at 11q23.3 in vasculoinvasive and metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix

We have previously demonstrated a strong relationship between loss of heter ozygosity (LOH) at chromosome 11q23.3 and the presence of extensive tumor p lugs in lymphvascular spaces (LVS) in stage 1B cervical carcinoma, suggesti ng that genes at this locus may regulate vasculoinvasion, This study examin ed LOH at 11q23.3 in microdissected tumor plugs within LVS and in metastati c foci in lymph nodes (MFLN), as well as corresponding invasive tumor and a djacent cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 3 in stage 1B squamous fel l carcinoma. Of 49 invasive carcinomas, 38.8% had LOH at 11q23.3, Of 36 tum or plugs in LVS, 39% had LOH at 11q23.3. Twenty percent of 15 MFLN demonstr ated LOH at 11q23.3. Patients with LOH at 11q23.3 are significantly more li kely to have disease recurrence than patients without LOH at 11q23.3 (P = . 02). Of 10 foci of CIN 3, none showed LOH at 11q23.3. Although unlikely to have an impact early in carcinogenesis, tumor-suppressor genes located in t he region of 11q23.3 appear to be important in tumor progression, facilitat ing lymphvascular space invasion and, by inference, spread to lymph nodes i n squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix. Copyright (C) 2001 by W.B, Saunder s Company.