Karyotypic abnormalities in fibroadenomas of the breast

Short-term cultures of 50 fibroadenomas of the breast were cytogenetically analyzed. Nine tumors were found to display clonal chromosome aberrations. One had multiple, cytogenetically unrelated clones, whereas the others had a single abnormal clone each. Four cases had one balanced translocation as the sole anomaly, and one had a complex intrachromosomal rearrangement of chromosome 3, leading to loss of 3p material. One fibroadenoma had a single numerical aberration, and one had supernumerary ring chromosomes. The remaining 2 cases had both numerical and structural aberrations. The only recurrent alterations were trisomy 20 and rearrangement of chromosome arm 1p. The finding of similar chromosomal aberrations in fibroadenomas and carcinomas suggests that women with karyotypically abnormal fibroadenomas may have an increased risk of developing subsequent breast cancer. If so, different chromosome anomalies might have different pathogenetic and/or prognostic significance.