Abstract
A consistent chromosome abnormality exists in 17 human cell lines and in 11 fresh cancers, a finding strongly supportive of our original support of Boveri's concept of a chromosomal imbalance origin of human cancer. This abnormality is in the form of a marked excess of E16 chromosomes per cell, either absolute or in relationship to other chromosome classes. If the ratio of E16 chromosomes to those of other classes be the crucial parameter, several ratios involving E16 chromosomes must be considered as candidates. We feel the choice between such possible ratios might be better made when 100 or more human cancers have been studied, rather than now. It may be that imbalance in E16 chromosomes relative to certain other classes represents a necessary condition for malignant cell behavior, but that more than one such E16 imbalance may be a sufficient condition.
Highlights
SUMMARY.-A consistent chromosome abnormality exists in 17 human cell lines and in 11 fresh cancers, a finding strongly supportive of our original support of Boveri's concept of a chromosomal imbalance origin of human cancer
Material For the study of human chromosomes and cancer the ideal material is fresh cancer tissue directly obtained from surgical specimens
Even after correcting for any increase in total number of chromosomes per cell, both in cell lines and in fresh cancers, the E16 chromosome level was still significantly elevated in all cell lines and fresh cancers
Summary
The technology for chromosome study by quantitative means is thoroughly described elsewhere (Gofman et al, 1967; Stone, 1967; Stone and Littlepage, 1967; Stone et al, 1969). Variability, even after a perfect normalization correction, is due to several factors; (a) errors of measurement, (b) biological variation, and (c) variability due to preparation of slides for study Even with such sources of variability, it is possible to set up limiting values of length and of centromeric index so as to allow satisfactory " karyotyping " of chromosomes into the well-defined classes. One potential ambiguity always present in this research is that the primitive state of current knowledge precludes knowing what genetic material is in a marker chromosome and, which normal looking chromosomes are markers in an abnormal cell Along this line of reasoning, Patau would accept our hypothesis only if our reference to " ' chromosomes 16 ' were replaced by ' chromosomes that the computer scored as 16 ' " (Patau, personal communication). Until there is some technological breakthrough which provides less debatable karyotypes than a study of past literature shows is produced by the much-vaunted " eye of the experienced cytogeneticist ", we shall for the sake of simplicity continue calling these objects " E-16", with full awareness that the genetic content of all such objects is currently unknown
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