Chromosome 6p amplification and cancer progression

• Published in: Journal of Clinical Pathology Vol. 60; no. 1; pp. 1 - 7
• Main Authors: Santos, Gda C, Zielenska, M, Prasad, M, Squire, J A
• Format: Journal Article Book Review
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Association of Clinical Pathologists 01.01.2007; BMJ; BMJ Publishing Group LTD; BMJ Group
• Subjects: basal cell carcinoma; BCC; Biological and medical sciences; Bladder cancer; CGH; Chromosome Aberrations; Chromosomes; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 6 - genetics; colorectal carcinoma; comparative genomic hybridisation; CRC; Deoxyribonucleic acid; Disease Progression; DNA; DNA, Neoplasm - genetics; Gene Amplification; Genes; HCC; hepatocellular carcinoma; Humans; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Medical sciences; Metastasis; Neoplasms - genetics; Nucleic Acid Hybridization; Pathology. Cytology. Biochemistry. Spectrometry. Miscellaneous investigative techniques; Prognosis; Review; Studies; Tumors; Amplification; Genetics; Anatomic pathology; Chromosome C6; Tumor progression
• ISSN: 0021-9746; 1472-4146
• DOI: 10.1136/jcp.2005.034389

Chromosomal imbalances represent an important mechanism in cancer progression. A clear association between DNA copy-number aberrations and prognosis has been found in a variety of tumours. Comparative genomic hybridisation studies have detected copy-number increases affecting chromosome 6p in several types of cancer. A systematic analysis of large tumour cohorts is required to identify genomic imbalances of 6p that correlate with a distinct clinical feature of disease progression. Recent findings suggest that a central part of the short arm of chromosome 6p harbours one or more oncogenes directly involved in tumour progression. Gains at 6p have been associated with advanced or metastatic disease, poor prognosis, venous invasion in bladder, colorectal, ovarian and hepatocellular carcinomas. Copy number gains of 6p DNA have been described in a series of patients who presented initially with follicle centre lymphoma, which subsequently transformed to diffuse large B cell lymphoma. Melanoma cytogenetics has consistently identified aberrations of chromosome 6, and a correlation with lower overall survival has been described. Most of the changes observed in tumours to date map to the 6p21–p23 region, which encompasses approximately half of the genes on all of chromosome 6 and one third of the number of CpG islands in this chromosome. Analyses of the genes that cluster to the commonly amplified regions of chromosome 6p have helped to identify a small number of molecular pathways that become deregulated during tumour progression in diverse tumour types. Such pathways offer promise for new treatments in the future.