Chromosome abnormalities in squamous cell carcinoma of the human oral cavity.

Cytogenetic studies carried out in tissues of 75 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity gave satisfactory results in 12 cases. Remarkable variation characterized the modal chromosome numbers of these tumors, ranging from marked hypodiploidy to tetraploidy. Chromosomes which were lost belonged to group A whereas chromosomes which were gained belonged to groups C, D, E, F and G. Marker chromosomes were present in three cases. There was no correlation between the chromosome abnormalities observed and the clinical stages of the disease. The pattern of chromosome abnormalities ranging from marked hypodiploidy to tetraploidy observed in oral cancer tissues suggests an association of DNA oncogenic virus possibly Herpes simplex virus Type I (HSV-1) with oral cancer.