Chromosomal abnormalities in giant cell tumors of bone.

Cytogenetic analysis of short-term cultures from ten giant cell tumors of bone revealed clonal and nonclonal chromosome abnormalities in three tumors and nonclonal changes only in seven. None of the clonal aberrations, inv(21)(p11q21) in one tumor, +5 in another, and t(15q22q), dic(4;22)(p16;p1?), double minutes, dicentrics, and ring chromosomes present in three separate clones in the third tumor, were identical to previously reported clonal changes in giant cell tumors. Telomeric associations were found in five tumors. The telomeres of chromosome arms 19q and 15p were particularly frequently involved.