Allelic imbalance on distal 7q (7q36.1-q36.3) in gastric cardia and oesophageal (Barrett's) adenocarcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Oesophageal (Barrett's) and gastric cardia adenocarcinomas are cancers arising at and around the gastro-oesophageal junction. The prognosis is poor, since detection is usually at a late stage and metastatic spread occurs early.


METHODS
We investigated the 7q region with a set of 5 polymorphic markers spanning 7q36.1-q36.3 in 33 Barrett-related carcinomas. In addition, 40 gastric cardia cancers were investigated to compare the pattern of imbalance at these loci.


RESULTS
Overall, the number of allelic loss was higher in Barrett's cancers than in gastric cardia carcinomas (p=0.04). In Barrett's adenocarcinomas, imbalance varied from 28% to 45% (of informative cases) with the highest prevalence at marker D7S483. In gastric cardia cancers, loss ranged from 12% to 27% (of informative cases), being most frequent at marker D7S3037. The difference between oesophageal and gastric adenocarcinomas was highest for polymorphic marker D7S483 (p=0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Marker D7S483 can aid in discriminating oesophageal (Barrett's) and gastric cardia carcinomas. Further, this region possibly harbours cancer gene(s) involved in Barrett-related adenocarcinomas.
Vissers
Kees J
KJ
Department of Pathology, Josephine Nefkens Institute, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Dinjens
Winand N M
WN
Riegman
Peter H J
PH
Tilanus
Hugo W
HW
van Dekken
Herman
H
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics*; D022981:Allelic Imbalance; D001471:Barrett Esophagus / Q000235:genetics*; D002299:Cardia / Q000473:pathology*; D002897:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 7 / Q000235:genetics*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*