Neoplasia is characterized by genetic instability.
Based on this observation we designed an experimental system where the normal cell-derived chromosome is studied by cytogenetic and molecular methods in large tumor panels. A striking concordance was found between eliminated regions and chromosome deletions in a variety of human tumors in vivo. CER1 and CER2 are situated in an important LOH cluster found in many solid tumors. We are particularly interested in CER1 involvement in early 3p deletions in neuroblastomas and familial breast cancer. The CER1, CER1 involvement is analysed on this and similar rat material in the Et-synteny project.