title: Pattern of chromosomal aberrations in primary liver cancers identified by comparative genomic hybridization.
abstract: Little is known about the molecular cytogenetic changes in cholangiocarcinoma and combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma, and on the prognostic significance of chromosomal imbalances in hepatocellular carcinoma. Seventy-eight cases of primary liver cancer with available median follow-up of 16.5 months, including 49 hepatocellular carcinomas, 22 cholangiocarcinomas, and 7 combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinomas, were examined by comparative genomic hybridization. In hepatocellular carcinoma, the most frequent changes were +8q (54%), -8p (54%), and +1q (42%), followed by -6q (35%), -4q (33%), -13q (29%), -14q (25%), -16q (19%), -17p (19%), +17q (17%), and +20q (15%). In comparison, cholangiocarcinoma had more gains, losses, and breakpoints than hepatocellular carcinoma or combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma, specifically more frequently -6q (91%), -3p (68%), -9p (55%), -14q (55%), -13q (45%), +1q (41%), +7q (36%), +7p (32%), and +8q (32%). Combined losses at 6q and 3p appeared to be highly characteristic for cholangiocarcinoma. In contrast, combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma shared frequent +1q (71%), +8q (57%), and -8p (57%) with hepatocellular carcinoma, but a tendency for higher numbers of imbalances with cholangiocarcinoma. Overall, higher numbers of changes, breakpoints, or gains appeared to carry unfavorable prognostic value among hepatocellular carcinomas, with higher numbers of gains retaining prognostic value among R0-resected hepatocellular carcinomas. Cholangiocarcinoma is characterized by combined losses at 6q and 3p and a tendency for chromosomal instability. On the other hand, combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma may share similar chromosomal changes with both hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma, as reflected by common hepatocellular carcinoma-like +8q, +1q, and -8p and a tendency for cholangiocarcinoma-like chromosomal instability. In hepatocellular carcinoma, higher number of gains may prove an adverse prognostic parameter.
authors.affiliation: Department of General and Visceral Surgery, University of Göttingen, Germany. khomayounfar@chirurgie-goettingen.de
authors.forename: Kia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Homayounfar
authors.forename: Bastian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gunawan
authors.forename: Silke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cameron
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Haller
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Baumhoer
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Uecker
authors.forename: Bjoern
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sander
authors.forename: Giuliano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ramadori
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lorf
authors.forename: László
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Füzesi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D055028:Comparative Genomic Hybridization; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged