Isochromosome 17 in prostatic cancer.

In a continuing search for karyotypic changes characterizing various human cancers we have examined in detail with Q and G banding techniques the chromosomal constitution of a metastatic cancer of the prostate. The results obtained with these techniques present not only what is to our knowledge the first description of the chromosome constitution in cancer of the prostate but also the first observation of an isochromosome 17 marker in a cancerous state other than a blood disease. Only further studies on the precise identification of individual chromosomes in other cancers will reveal the significance of this marker in human cancer.