Cytogenetic studies of human endometrial carcinomas by means of tissue culture

The cytogenetic studies of human endometrial carcinomas were performed using a tissue culture technique. Seventeen cases or 40.5 per cent out of 42 trials for culture could be analyzed. The mode of chromosome number was found at the diploid range in all cases, and the exact counting of the modal range revealed that the peak of the number was 46 in 75 per cent of the analyzed cases. The distributions were even both in the hypo- and hyperdiploid areas. The karyotype analyses showed that the majority of the endometrial carcinomas presented pseudo-diploid chromosomes, revealing irregular numerical alterations of each group constitution and scattered variant chromosomes with minor structural changes. Only four cases were noted to have an unclassified chromosome with marked structural aberrations. A marker chromosome was identified in only one case, whereas no common specific chromosome was noted and the histologic findings did not correlate with chromosome aberration. From our tissue culture study, carcinomas of human corpus uteri consist mainly of the cells with a pseudodiploid chromosomal constitution. It is suggested that a culture method would be a desirable procedure for the cytogenetic study.