Specific cytogenetic changes in ovarian cancer involving chromosomes 6 and 14

Cytogenetic studies were performed in 12 papillary serous adenocarcinomas of the ovary. Of the more than 19 clonal structural chromosome abnormalities observed in these cancers, 6q- and 14q+ were found to be the most frequent. Both markers coexisted in the cells of eight cases; in the other four cases, either a 6q- or 14q+ was present. In at least six cases, the additional segment on the long arm of chromosome 14 appeared to originate, on the basis of the chromosomal quantity and fluorescence pattern, from the missing part of chromosome 6. This suggested that the 6q- and 14q+ markers had arisen as a result of a reciprocal translocation at Bands q21 and q24, respectively, i.e., t(6;14)(q21;q24). However, it is uncertain in the remaining six cases whether an identical type of translocation was responsible for the formation of the markers. Thus, abnormalities involving chromosomes 6 and 14 seem to be specifically associated with papillary serous adenocarcinoma of the ovary.