Cytogenetic abnormalities associated with renal cell carcinoma

Cytogenetic analysis was performed on 23 renal cell carcinomas (21 sporadic and 2 associated with von Hippel-Lindau's disease). Clonal chromosomal abnormalities were found in 19 of 21 of the sporadic tumors. The most frequent abnormalities were a loss or rearrangement of material in 3p (11 of 21 cases) or an extra chromosome 7 (7 of 21 cases). Correlation between specific chromosomal abnormalities and clinical presentation was absent with the exception of trisomy 7 and -Y, which occurred only in patients more than 60 years old. An increasing number of cytogenetic abnormalities were associated with a greater likelihood of renal vein and/or capsule involvement. Both patients with von Hippel-Lindau's disease had tumors with a normal karyotype.