Cytogenetic analysis of upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinomas

Ten primary (nine regular and one post-radiation) upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinomas (TCC), i.e., tumors of the renal pelvis and ureter, were obtained from 10 patients following nephroureterectomy and processed for cytogenetic analysis after short-term culturing. Clonal chromosomal aberrations were found in eight tumors. While 10 karyotypically related and/or unrelated clones were detected in the post-radiation tumor, cytogenetic monoclonality was seen in all other tumors. With the exception of two tumors with loss of the Y chromosome as the only change, chromosome 9 was invariably involved, either with loss of the entire chromosome or with partial loss from the short arm. Our findings indicate that the karyotypic profile of upper urinary tract TCC is identical to that of bladder TCC, an indication that the same pathogenetic mechanisms are at work in both regions.