Cytogenetic studies in primary gastric cancer.

We have analyzed five primary gastric cancers with a G-banding technique. All tumors had clonal chromosome abnormalities; a total of 67 numerical and 83 structural karyotypic anomalies were identified as clonal. The most prominent and recurring numerical abnormality was a missing Y chromosome (three of four tumors in the male patients). No recurrent structural abnormalities were found. However, the breakpoints at bands 1p22, 3p21, and 19p13 were frequently involved. These chromosome abnormalities and their role in oncogenesis are discussed.