Interphase cytogenetics of multicentric renal cell tumours confirm associations of specific aberrations with defined cytomorphologies

To demonstrate associations of certain chromosomal aberrations with defined renal cell tumour (RCT) subtypes, we analysed 239 tumour nephrectomy cases for specimens with multicentric tumours. Chromosomal in situ hybridization was then performed on 15 cases with 34 foci (16 conventional renal cell carcinomas (RCCs), and 18 papillary RCTs (11 carcinomas and seven adenomas) for specific chromosomal aberrations, using α-satellite probes for chromosomes 3, 7 or 17. Particular preference was given to cases which had separate foci with different cytomorphologies. Furthermore, we compared aberrations in relation to tumour size, stage, grade and between different foci in a specimen. Thirty-four cases had multiple tumours. Forty-seven per cent of the multicentric tumours were conventional RCCs and 53% papillary RCTs (against 83% solitary conventional RCCs and 5% solitary papillary RCTs). Three conventional RCCs sized 8 mm (G3), 13 cm (pT2, G2) and 15 cm (pT3b, G3), respectively, revealed monosomy 3, and 13 were disomic. Seventeen papillary RCTs (11 carcinomas and six adenomas) displayed trisomy 17, irrespective of size or grade. Four papillary carcinomas and six papillary adenomas had trisomy 7, and the rest (seven papillary carcinomas and one papillary adenoma) revealed disomy 7. In conclusion, papillary RCTs were tendentially multicentric. Although specific for conventional RCCs heedless of size, monosomy 3 was only observed in high-grade and/or advanced tumours. Trisomy 17 was only detectable in papillary RCTs irrespective of tumour state, showing increased copies with tumour growth. Papillary RCTs also appeared to lose some copies of chromosome 7 with tumour progress, possibly reflecting malignancy. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaign