Chromosomal changes in locally recurrent, hormone-refractory prostate carcinomas by karyotyping and comparative genomic hybridization

The genetic mechanisms of prostate cancer recurrence during hormonal therap y are largely unknown. So far, data from conventional karyotype analysis on hormone-refractory prostate carcinomas have not been published, mainly bec ause of the difficulties in obtaining fresh hormone-refractory prostate car cinoma samples and getting metaphases from them. Here, we have studied chro mosomal changes in 12 locally recurrent, hormone-refractory prostate carcin omas using karyotyping and CGH that revealed genetic aberrations in all tum ors. Loss of the Y chromosome was the most common (89%) finding, and tetrap loidy or near-tetraploidy was detected in all tumors. Also non-random trans locations were found in 56% of the tumors. The present study indicates that clonal chromosomal aberrations in hormone-refractory prostate carcinomas a re more common than in untreated primary tumors, and also, further studies on the frequency and significance of translocations in prostate carcinoma p rogression during hormonal therapy are warranted. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.