[Cytogenetic characteristics and of primary culture in multiple renal tumors]

The incidence of multiple tumours in renal cancer ranges between 1 and 30%. In these cases, it becomes very difficult to differentiate between adenoma and carcinoma just by using conventional methods, particularly in borderline cases. We carried out primary cultures and subsequent cytogenetic studies in 2 patients with multiple renal cancer. Clonal numerical changes in the first case were: 3, 7, 16 and 17 trisomies, chromosome loss; and structural changes, del(1) (p34), del(2) (p16, p22). In the second case, clonal numerical changes were 7 trisomy and tetrasomy and loss of the Y chromosome. Both tumours were cytogenetically characterized as papillary renal tumours. The diagnostic approaches are discussed and the prognosis possibilities evaluated, using this method to evaluate them in multiple renal tumours.