Chromosome-9 loss detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization in bladder cancer

A loss of chromosome-9 material is one of the most frequent genomic aberrations known in bladder cancer. In order to better understand the role of chromosome-9 losses in bladder cancer, 125 formalin-fixed and 37 unfixed bladder tumors were examined using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). A repetitive probe for a pericentromeric region on 9q12 (pHUR98) was applied for chromosome-9 copy-number enumeration. Under-representation of chromosome 9 was found in 74 of 162 cases. There was no association between loss of chromosome 9 and increased grade or stage, papillary growth pattern, p53 protein expression, or tumor-cell proliferation (Ki-67). These data show that chromosome-9 loss is an early event in bladder-cancer development, occurring independently of p53 alterations. In order to determine the prevalence of large sub-regional chromosome-9 deletions, dual hybridizations with pHUR98 and cosmid probes for 9q34, 9q22, and 9p21 were performed. Partial deletion was detected in only 1 of 36 cases for 9q34 and in 1 of 24 cases for 9p21. Surprisingly, amplification of the interferon alpha locus on 9p21 was seen in 1 of 24 tumors. The finding of 9p amplification may indicate the site of an oncogene relevant for bladder cancer.