Massive cytogenetic heterogeneity in a pancreatic carcinoma: fifty-four karyotypically unrelated clones.

Chromosome analysis after short-term culture revealed remarkable cytogenetic heterogeneity in a pancreatic carcinoma. The patient had no prior history of radio- or chemotherapy. A total of 54 aberrant, near-diploid, karyotypically unrelated clones were identified, three of which displayed clonal evolution. The abnormalities were unbalanced in 30% of the clones. From one to eight karyotypic anomalies per clone were found. Numerical changes were rare, whereas structural aberrations were numerous and diverse and included deletions, duplication, insertions, inversions, translocations, ring formation, and telomeric associations. All chromosomes except No. 15 were involved in structural rearrangements, chromosomes 1, 6, 7, 8, 11, and 12 being the most frequently affected. A similarly massive cytogenetic polyclonality has never been reported previously. Although the spectrum of epithelial neoplasms characterized by karyotypically unrelated clones is increasing, the pathogenetic role of this type of cytogenetic intratumor heterogeneity remains unknown.