Translocation (3;3)(p14;q29) as the primary chromosome abnormality in a peritoneal mesothelioma

Our plain-English summary of Translocation (3;3)(p14;q29) as the primary chromosome abnormality in a peritoneal mesothelioma, by M.R. Teixeira, K.E. Giercksky, I.M. Ikonomou, et al (Cancer Genetics and Cytogenetics, 1998).

The study

• Authors: M.R. Teixeira, K.E. Giercksky, I.M. Ikonomou, S. Heim
• Journal: Cancer Genetics and Cytogenetics
• Published: 1998;103(1):73-5
• Type of article: Case report, Review
• Cited by: 2 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher

Abstract

Mesothelioma is a relatively rare malignant neoplasm arising from the serosal lining of the pleural, peritoneal, and pericardial cavities. Mesotheliomas are known to be associated with asbestos exposure. The karyotypes of these tumors have mostly been so complex as to preclude the identification of primary chromosome abnormalities. We present the cytogenetic analysis of two macroscopically distinct abdominal tumors, both diagnosed as peritoneal mesothelioma, occurring in a woman with a history of heavy asbestos exposure. Both tumors contained the same three karyotypically abnormal but cytogenetically related clones, with a balanced t(3;3)(p14;q29) as the primary chromosomal change. The fact that several chromosome abnormalities were common to both tumors strongly indicates that they arose through intraperitoneal spreading of a single neoplastic process; that is, they were not pathogenetically independent lesions. Our findings, taken together with previously published cytogenetic data on peritoneal mesotheliomas, indicate that a proportion of these tumors may be characterized by simple, balanced chromosomal rearrangements. At least a subset of peritoneal mesotheliomas arises through the same pathogenetic mechanisms that are involved in the pleural forms of this disease.

In plain English

This case report examined tumor chromosomes from one patient, a 66-year-old woman with a history of heavy asbestos exposure. The article did not describe the type of asbestos or the source of exposure. During surgery, two separate abdominal tumors were found, one behind the bladder (tumor A) and one attached to the mesentery (tumor B). Both were diagnosed as peritoneal mesothelioma. The authors grew cells from each tumor and examined their chromosomes. Abnormal chromosomes were found in 131 of 144 cells (90.9%) in tumor A and in 123 of 135 cells (91.1%) in tumor B. Both tumors contained the same three related groups of abnormal cells. The main group had one balanced exchange between the two copies of chromosome 3, written t(3;3)(p14;q29), which the authors identified as the primary change. Because the tumors shared these changes, the authors concluded that they came from one cancer that spread within the abdomen, not from two separate cancers. Comparing this case with four previously reported peritoneal mesotheliomas, the authors concluded that at least some peritoneal mesotheliomas arise through the same mechanisms as pleural mesotheliomas.

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 (chromosome-banding analysis of two tumors from one patient)
• Who was studied: One 66-year-old woman with two separate abdominal tumors, both diagnosed as peritoneal mesothelioma. The authors were at the Norwegian Radium Hospital in Oslo, Norway. No dates were given.
• Exposure: A history of heavy asbestos exposure. Fiber type, products, job and dose were not described.
• Main results:
  • Clonal chromosome abnormalities were found in 131 of 144 cells (90.9%) in tumor A and in 123 of 135 cells (91.1%) in tumor B.
  • Both tumors contained the same three related clones. The stem line, with a balanced t(3;3)(p14;q29) as the only abnormality, made up 79.4% of the clonally abnormal cells in tumor A and 81.3% in tumor B.
  • One side line, with two additional unbalanced translocations, made up 13.7% of the cells in tumor A and 11.4% in tumor B. A second side line, with an inversion and two numerical changes, made up 6.9% in tumor A and 7.3% in tumor B.
  • The authors interpreted the shared abnormalities as showing that the two tumors were clonally related and arose by spread of a single cancer within the peritoneum. They also concluded that the spread happened relatively late.
  • The authors reported this as only the fifth primary peritoneal mesothelioma with clonal chromosome abnormalities. Rearrangement of the short arm of chromosome 3 was common to all five cases.
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that at least a subset of peritoneal mesotheliomas arises through the same mechanisms as pleural mesotheliomas. They also concluded that some peritoneal mesotheliomas may be characterized by simple, balanced chromosome rearrangements.
• Limitations the authors state:
  • Because the chromosome findings were so similar in both tumors, the data could not show which tumor was the primary one.
  • The authors could not say whether the small difference in chromosome 3 breakpoints between this case and an earlier case reflects real biology or ascertainment bias.

Topics

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

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Translocation, Peritoneal Mesothelioma, Mesothelioma, Neoplasm, Pericardial, Asbestos Exposure.

Related studies

• Translocation (2;3)(p21;p26) as the sole anomaly in a benign localized fibrous mesothelioma — F. Mertens, R. Willén, et al. (1996)
• Chromosome 3 and 12p rearranged in a well-differentiated peritoneal mesothelioma — H.J. Decker, F.P. Li, et al. (1990)
• 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)
• Translocation X;12 in mesothelioma — P. Dal Cin, I. De Wever, et al. (1991)
• Chromosomes and chromosomal evolution in human mesotheliomas as reflected in sequential analyses of two cases — G. Stenman, K. Olofsson, et al. (1986)
• Abnormalities of chromosomes 7 and 22 in human malignant pleural mesothelioma: correlation between Southern blot and cytogenetic analyses — M. Tiainen, J. Kere, et al. (1992)

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