Only two RB loci were present in this patient despite triplication of 13q. The third locus was deleted. We believe that the second locus was not expressed due to X inactivation of the RB gene on the der(X)t(Xq:13q) chromosome. The emergence of bilateral retinoblastoma points towards lack of heterozygosity at the third and last remaining RB loci in tumor cells. To our knowledge, an unbalanced translocation resulting in partial trisomy 13 with retinoblastoma has not been previously reported.
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