Cytogenetic relationship between uterine lipoleiomyomas and typical leiomyomas.

The chromosomes from two human uterine lipoleiomyomas, L25 and L26, from the same patient, were studied by a banding technique applied to preparations from short-term cultures. Both tumors displayed the same pseudodiploid stemline characterized by the reciprocal translocation t (5; 12) (q12; q24). These observations coincide with the previous finding that the largest subgroup of typical leiomyomas with an abnormal stemline are characterized by a long-arm change of one chromosome No. 12. The combined results support the previously advanced hypothesis that different histologic subtypes of uterine leiomyomas are derived from a common totipotential stem cell. This interpretation also fits with a proposed theory about the derivation of malignant leiomyomatous uterine neoplasms.