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Abstract

We evaluated clinical characteristics, patient outcome (mean follow-up, 47 months), and cytogenetic abnormalities in the largest as yet reported cytogenetic series of 47 primary and 11 secondary papillary renal cell carcinomas for differences between the recently proposed type 1 and type 2 subtypes. Secondary tumors were more often of type 2 morphology (P = 0.02), whereas primary type 2 tumors were associated with higher clinical stage (P = 0.001) and worse patient outcome (P = 0.02). Although both subtypes had at least one of the primary chromosomal gains at 17q, 7, and 16q, type 2 tumors had moderately lower frequencies of primary gains at 17p (61 versus 94%; P = 0.007) and 17q (72 versus 97%; P = 0.02). On the other hand, type 2 tumors overall had more chromosomal alterations than type 1 tumors (P = 0.01), particularly gains of 1q (28 versus 3%; P = 0.02) and losses of 8p (33 versus 0%; P = 0.001), 11 (28 versus 3%; P = 0.02), and 18 (44 versus 9%; P = 0.01). Hierarchical clustering suggested cytogenetic patterns common but not restricted to type 2 morphology, one characterized by multiple additional gains, and another predominantly showing additional losses. These findings provide genetic evidence that type 1 and type 2 tumors arise from common cytogenetic pathways and that type 2 tumors evolve from type 1 tumors. Independently of type, losses of 9p were statistically correlated with advanced disease (P = 0.0008) and may serve as a potential adverse prognostic marker in papillary renal cell carcinomas.