del(6q) as a possible primary change in malignant mesothelioma

Our plain-English summary of del(6q) as a possible primary change in malignant mesothelioma, by A.M. Meloni, C.F. Stephenson, F.P. Li, et al (Cancer Genetics and Cytogenetics, 1992).

The study

• Authors: A.M. Meloni, C.F. Stephenson, F.P. Li, A.A. Sandberg
• Journal: Cancer Genetics and Cytogenetics
• Published: 1992;59(1):57-61
• Type of article: Review
• Cited by: 25 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher

Abstract

Detailed cytogenetic and fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis of an untreated pleural malignant mesothelioma revealed two clonal cell populations, both with a single abnormality affecting chromosome 6. The majority of cells had a deletion together with an inversion of the long arm of chromosome 6, while a smaller population showed loss of this chromosome. The normal 6 was retained. Most reports show that mesotheliomas are characterized by complex karyotypes, involving numerous chromosomes. Abnormalities of chromosome 6 (particularly deletions of the long arm) are among the consistent changes. Our case apparently is the first report of a mesothelioma with a single change involving chromosome 6, which could be the primary cytogenetic change.

In plain English

This article was a case report of one patient, a 47-year-old woman with pleural malignant mesothelioma. Her tumor was classified as epithelial, and it had not been treated when it was studied. She did not smoke. The authors reported that she might have been exposed to asbestos while cleaning the work clothes of her father, who worked in construction and in remodeling of floors and walls. No fiber type was given. The authors examined the chromosomes of cells grown from her tumor. Of 21 cells analyzed, 18 had an altered chromosome 6, thought to come from an inversion and a deletion that removed the segment 6q15 to 6q24 on the long arm. Two cells had lost one chromosome 6, and one cell looked normal. A fluorescent probe test (FISH) found a single chromosome 6 signal in 11% of tumor cells, compared with 0.5% of normal blood cells used as a control. The authors concluded this was apparently the first reported mesothelioma with a single change involving chromosome 6, which could be the primary chromosome change. They called their proposed scheme of genetic steps speculative in some respects.

We wrote this plain-English summary from the full article with the help of AI, and a second AI model checked each sentence against the article. It is not the authors' wording; the abstract and the article are their own account.

What the study did and found

• Design: Case report of one patient, with chromosome analysis (G-banding) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) of her tumor
• Who was studied: One 47-year-old woman with an untreated pleural malignant mesothelioma, diagnosed at thoracotomy; symptoms began in July 1990. Where the patient lived is not stated (the laboratory was in Scottsdale, Arizona).
• Exposure: Possible household asbestos exposure from cleaning the work clothes of her father, who worked in construction and in remodeling of floors and walls; no fiber type or dose given
• Main results:
  • The tumor was classified histologically as an epithelial mesothelioma
  • The patient did not smoke
  • Of 21 cultured tumor cells analyzed, 18 cells had a derivative chromosome 6, presumably from an inversion and a deletion, leading to loss of segment 6q15 to 6q24
  • 2 of the 21 cells had monosomy 6 (loss of one chromosome 6) as the only change
  • 1 of the 21 cells had an apparently normal set of chromosomes
  • FISH showed monosomy 6 in 11% of the tumor's interphase cells analyzed
  • In the control sample of normal peripheral blood lymphocytes, 0.5% of cells showed one chromosome 6 signal and 99% showed two; the tumor result was considered significant for monosomy 6
  • The patient was reported to be currently free of tumor
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that their case was apparently the first report of a mesothelioma with a single change involving chromosome 6, which could be the primary cytogenetic change
• Limitations the authors state:
  • The authors said their proposed scheme of genetic events was speculative in some respects; another event may come before the chromosome 6 change
  • The authors noted that future studies may change the order of the events in their scheme

Topics

The National Library of Medicine indexes this study under subjects our site covers: Mesothelioma.

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Malignant Mesothelioma, Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH), Mesothelioma.

Related studies

• Recurring loss involving chromosomes 1, 3, and 22 in malignant mesothelioma: possible sites of tumor suppressor genes — W.L. Flejter, F.P. Li, et al. (1989)
• Chromosome 3 and 12p rearranged in a well-differentiated peritoneal mesothelioma — H.J. Decker, F.P. Li, et al. (1990)
• Asbestos and erionite fibres can induce mutations in human lymphocytes that result in loss of heterozygosity — K. Both, D.W. Henderson, et al. (1994)
• An early, nonrandom karyotypic change in immortal Syrian hamster cell lines transformed by asbestos: trisomy of chromosome 11 — M. Oshimura, T.W. Hesterberg, et al. (1986)
• Chromosomal deletion in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma — S. Neragi-Miandoab, D.J. Sugarbaker (2009)
• Karyotypic changes in the preclinical and subsequent stages of malignant mesothelioma: a case report — I.L. Hansteen, B. Hilt, et al. (1993)

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