Frequent loss of heterozygosity at the retinoblastoma locus in human esophageal cancers.

Boynton, R F; Huang, Y; Blount, P L; Reid, B J; Raskind, W H; Haggitt, R C; Newkirk, C; Resau, J H et al. · Cancer Res · 1991

case_series · Level IV

Where this comes from

Abstract

Abnormalities in the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor gene (Rb) have been observed in a large number of human cancers. Loss of heterozygosity is a common mode of allelic inactivation of Rb and other tumor suppressor genes. We investigated DNA from 61 primary human esophageal tumors for loss of heterozygosity at the Rb locus using a polymerase chain reaction-based restriction fragment length polymorphism assay. Of informative cases, we found loss of heterozygosity in 14 of 26 (54%) squamous cell carcinomas and 5 of 14 (36%) adenocarcinomas. These data support the hypothesis that Rb inactivation is involved in the pathogenesis and/or progression of esophageal cancer.

Medical subject headings