Molecular evidence of field cancerization in a patient with 7 tumors of the aerodigestive tract.
Exposure of the mucosa of the upper aerodigestive tract to carcinogens can induce genetic changes resulting in various independent clones of neoplastic growth, a concept defined as "field cancerization." The risk of developing multiple tumors in this compartment of the body is well established. We studied 6 distinct tumors of the upper aerodigestive tract of a single patient for loss of heterozygosity (LOH), microsatellite instability (MSI), p53 mutations, and K-ras codon 12 point mutations. We detected a unique pattern of LOH and p53 mutations in all 6 tumors. No tumor showed a K-ras mutation or MSI. The results support the mechanism of "field cancerization" and illustrate the potential power of molecular techniques to elucidate pathogenesis.
van Rees
B P
BP
Department of Pathology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Cleton-Jansen
A M
AM
Cense
H A
HA
Polak
M M
MM
Clement
M J
MJ
Drillenburg
P
P
van Lanschot
J J
JJ
Offerhaus
G J
GJ
D000368:Aged; D004067:Digestive System Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D016158:Genes, p53; D011905:Genes, ras; D006801:Humans; D019656:Loss of Heterozygosity; D008297:Male; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D009154:Mutation; D009378:Neoplasms, Multiple Primary; D012142:Respiratory Tract Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*