Significance of abnormalities of chromosomes 5 and 8 in chondroblastoma

Tumor specific chromosomal abnormalities have been identified in several histologic subtypes of benign and malignant bone tumors. These anomalies have proven to be useful diagnostically. Characterization of recurrent chromosomal abnormalities also has provided direction for molecular investigations of pathogenetically important genes. Cytogenetic reports of chondroblastoma, a rare benign bone tumor, are few. Cytogenetic analysis of a benign and a malignant chondroblastoma in this study revealed the following abnormal chromosomal complements: 47,XY,+5,t(5;5)(p10;q10) and 45, XY,del(2)(p23),del(3)(q23q27),dup(8)(q12q21.), del(11) (q14q23), -13, add (17) (q25) x 2, respectively. Although a specific chromosomal abnormality has not yet emerged for chondroblastoma, abnormalities of chromosomes 5 and 8 have been reported previously in this neoplasm, suggesting preferential involvement of these two chromosomes.