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Molecular analysis of medulloblastomas occurring simultaneously in monozygotic twins
W Scheurlen1, N Sörensen, W Roggendorf
1Department of Paediatrics, University of Würzburg, Germany.
Unlabelled:
We report male monocygotic twins with concordant desmoplastic medulloblastoma diagnosed at the age of 20 months. Both tumours were completely removed. As chromosomal loci 17p13 and 9q31 are frequently altered in medulloblastoma these regions were analysed in both tumours in detail using restriction fragment length polymorphism and microsatellite analysis. No common aberration was found. The c-myc gene on chromosome 8q21 was not amplified.
Conclusion:
Although a common genetic defect has not been found in our patients' tumours the clinical presentation supports the assumption of an inherited genetic predisposition to develop medulloblastoma in at least some cases.