Chromosome 1p aberrations are frequent in human primary hepatocellular carcinoma

To investigate the chromosomal changes in hepatocellular carcinoma in humans, metaphase chromosomes obtained directly from short term culture of resected human primary hepatocellular carcinoma tissues were studied in seven patients. Among the five successfully karyotyped cases, cytogenetic analysis showed highly different and complex chromosomal changes in the cancer tissue in four patients. Structural aberrations of chromosome 1 and deletion of 1p with breakpoints at p22 or p32 were the most common abnormalities, and were found in the four successfully analyzed cases. Loss of 1p may be important in hepatocarcinogenesis, and warrants further characterization by molecular genetic analysis.