Abstract

BACKGROUND
Uterine cervical cancer is the most prevalent cancer in Korean women, and the incidence of adenocarcinoma has been increasing. Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) analysis is used to identify regions which harbor a putative tumor suppressor gene.
METHODS
DNA was extracted from the microdissected normal and malignant lesions of 34 uterine cervical adenocarcinomas, 2 adenosquamous cell carcinomas, 13 squamous cell carcinomas, and 10 endometrial adenocarcinomas. LOH and microsatellite instability (MSI) analysis were performed using microsatellite markers, D3S4103 (3p14.2), D3S1284 (3p12), D3S1289 (3p21.2-21.1), D3S1307 (3p25-ter), THRB (3p22-24.1), and D11S35 (11q22). The expression of Fhit protein was compared with the genetic abnormalities.
RESULTS
Microsatellite alterations at 3p were detected in 37% of cervical adenocarcinomas, 16% of squamous cell carcinomas, and 43% of endometrial adenocarcinomas. The alterations of 11q were found in 17% of cervical adenocarcinomas. Microsatellite alterations of D3S1307 and D11S35 were detected in uterine cervical adenocarcinomas with high frequency. The frequency of FHIT protein loss is higher in the cervical squamous cell carcinoma than in cervical and endometrial adenocarcinomas.
CONCLUSION
Tumor suppressor gene of uterine cervical adenocarcinoma may be located in 3p25-ter and 11q22.

• Keywords: Cervix uteri;Adenocarcinoma;3p;11q;Fhit;