Lack of demonstrable chromosome allele loss in hepatocellular adenoma

Several studies of loss of constitutional genetic heterozygosity in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma have been carried out with the aim of determining the location of relevant tumour suppressor genes, but there is as yet no report of a similar investigation in hepatocellular adenomas. In this study we analyzed six such patients searching for evidence of chromosome allele loss, or loss of heterozygosity, with 25 DNA probes recognising restriction fragment length polymorphisms. The 25 probes have been assigned to 21 chromosome arms. None of those probes detected allele loss in any of the 6 tumours. One of the patients had a synchronous hepatocellular carcinoma. Chromosome 17p allele loss was detected in her hepatocellular carcinoma but not in the adenoma. The study suggests that chromosome allele loss is not a frequent genetic change in the development of hepatocellular adenoma.