High Resolution Genomic Profiling of Metastatic Testicular Teratomas

Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT) are the most common malignancy in young males between the ages of 15 and 44, with increasing incidence in western industrial countries. Interestingly, the overall incidence has more than doubled over the past 50 years. Teratomas represent a subgroup of TGCTs with immense histologic diversity, consisting of well differentiated, mature tissues only or also including immature, fetal-like tissues. The pathogenic mechanism of this type of tumor remains elusive. To evaluate the genomic profile of this cohort of TGCTs, we performed high resolution SNP array analysis on ten adult metastatic testicular teratoma tumors. An average of 30 aberrations per tumor was observed. Segmental gains/losses with complex patterns were most common at chromosomes 1 and 12, and the X chromosome; while whole chromosome gains/losses were most frequently observed at chromosomes 3, 5, 8, 11, 13, 18, and 21. Furthermore, genomic regions showing loss of heterozygosity (LOH) were overrepresented at chromosomes 5, 9, 11, and 22. Here, we report a comprehensive genomic characterization of metastatic teratomas that may provide insight into the pathogenesis of TGCTs.
Source: Cancer Genetics and Cytogenetics - Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: Tags: CCMC Abstracts Source Type: research