Chromosomal Deletion and Retinoblastoma

Abstract

Retinoblastoma occurs at a very high rate among two groups of genetically predisposed persons: those who inherit the tumor potential with a dominant mode of transmission, and those who bear a deletion of the long arm of chromosome 13 in all their somatic cells. The latter group is particularly important because it is the only instance in animal or man in which a specific chromosomal abnormality can occur prezygotically and consistently predispose to a specific tumor. We report below a new case of this deletion and consider its relation to previously reported cases and the relation between the two genetic . . .