Therefore, detection of CDKN2A deletion by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was evaluated as an ancillary test in the cytologic diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma.
Our data show that deletions of a critical region of chromosome 9, including the CDKN2A but not the CDKN2B locus, are common among malignant mesothelioma.
To address whether inactivation of CDKN2 function is an essential event in the etiology of malignant mesothelioma, we examined p16INK4 protein expression in primary thoracic mesotheliomas, in nonmalignant pleural tissues, and in independent mesothelioma cell lines.
Furthermore, deletions of 9p21-p22 outside of the p16 locus may reflect the involvement of other putative tumor suppressor genes that could also contribute to the pathogenesis of some MMs.