Refined deletion mapping in sporadic breast cancer at chromosomal region 8p12-p21 and association with clinicopathological parameters.

We have further refined the loss of heterozygosity (LOH) pattern on the human chromosomal region 8p12-p21 using 15 well characterised microsatellite markers in a panel of 50 breast carcinomas. The allelic loss pattern of these tumours suggests the presence of five commonly deleted regions on 8p12-p21. The most commonly deleted region was located between markers D8S1734 and D81989, spanning a distance of approximately 3 cM and reaching 56% LOH at locus NEFL. LOH at 8p12-p21 was significantly correlated with large tumour size (T>5 cm). Patients with the age at diagnosis of breast cancer between 45 and 55 years showed significantly more LOH than patients older than 55 years or younger than 45 years. No correlation was observed between 8p12-p21 alterations and histological tumour type, grade and the presence of lymph node metastases.