Loss of heterozygosity of chromosome 3p markers in small-cell lung cancer

Specific chromosomal deletions sometimes associated with tumours such as retinoblastoma (chromosome 13q14)¹ and Wilm's tumour (chromosome 11p13)² have led to the hypothesis that recessive genes may be involved in tumorigenesis³. This hypothesis is supported by demonstration of allele loss specific for these regions using polymorphic DNA markers^4-9 and by the isolation of a complementary DNA clone for the retinoblastoma gene¹⁰. A cytogenetic deletion in chromosome 3 (p14-p23) was reported in small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) by Whang-Peng et al ^11,12. At least one homologue of chromosome 3 was affected in the majority of SCLC tumours; however, the multiple chromosomal changes seen presented the possibility that chromosome 3 was rearranged, not deleted. We used polymorphic DNA probes for chromosome 3p and compared tumour and constitutional genotypes of nine SCLC patients. Our data show loss of alleles of chromosome 3p markers in tumour DNA of all nine patients supporting the hypothesis that this region contributes to tumorigenesis in SCLC.