1. ¹Postgraduate Medical Institute, University of Hull, Cottingham Rd, Hull HU6 7RX, UK
2. ²Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Cottingham Rd, Hull HU6 7RX, UK
3. ³Cardiothoracic Unit, Castle Hill Hospital, Hull HU16 5JQ, UK

Correspondence: Dr L Cawkwell, R&D Building, Castle Hill Hospital, Hull HU16 5JQ, UK. E-mail: L.Cawkwell@hull.ac.uk

Received 17 April 2003; Revised 7 October 2003; Accepted 30 October 2003.

Abstract

The cytogenetic abnormalities in non-small-cell lung cancer remain elusive due primarily to the difficulty in obtaining metaphase spreads from solid tumours. We have used the molecular cytogenetic techniques of multicolour fluorescent in situ hybridisation (M-FISH) and comparative genomic hybridisation (CGH) to analyse four primary non-small-cell lung cancer samples and two established cell lines (COR-L23 and COR-L105) in order to identify common chromosomal aberrations. CGH revealed regions on 5p, 3q, 8q, 11q, 2q, 12p and 12q to be commonly over-represented and regions on 9p, 3p, 6q, 17p, 22q, 8p, 10p, 10q and 19p to be commonly under-represented. M-FISH revealed numerous complex chromosomal rearrangements. Translocations between chromosomes 5 and 14, 5 and 11 and 1 and 6 were observed in three of the six samples, with a further 14 translocations being observed in two samples each. Loss of the Y chromosome and gains of chromosomes 20 and 5p were also frequent. Chromosomes 4, 5, 8, 11, 12 and 19 were most frequently involved in interchromosomal translocations. Further investigation of the recurrent aberrations will be necessary to identify the specific breakpoints involved and any role they may have in the aetiology, diagnosis and prognosis of non-small-cell lung cancer.