AIM: To search candidate tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) on chromosome 4Cl through detecting high loss of heterozygosity (LOH) regions in sporadic colorectal carcinoma in Chinese patients.METHODS: Thirteen fluorescent labeled polymorphic microsatellite markers were analyzed in 83 cases of colorectal carcinoma and matched normal tissue DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).PCR products were eletrophoresed on an ABI 377 DNA sequencer.Genescan 3.7 and Genotype 3.7 software were used for LOH scanning and analysis.Comparison between LOH frequency and clinicopathological factors were performed by X2 test.RESULTS: Data were collected on all informative loci.The average LOH frequency on 4q was 28.56%,The D4S2915 locus showed highest LOH frequency (36.17%).Two obvious deletion regions were detected: one between D4S3000 and D4S2915 locus (4q12-21.1),another flanked by D4S407 and D4S2939 locus (4q25-31.1).None case showed complete deletion of 4q,most cases displayed interstitial deletion pattern solely.Furthermore,compared with clinicopathological features,a significant relationship was observed between LOH frequencies on D4S3018 locus.In tumors larger than 5 cm in diameter,LOH frequency was significantly higher than tumors that were less than 5 cm (56% vs 13.79%,P=0.01).On D4S1534 locus,LOH was significantly associated with liver metastasis (80% vs 17.25%,P=0.012).No relationship was detected on other locus compared with clinicopathologial features.CONCLUSION: By high resolution deletion mapping,two high frequency regions of LOH (4q12-21.1 and 4q25-31.1) were detected,which may contribute to locate TSGs on chromosome 4q involved in carcinogenesis and progression of sporadic colorectal carcinoma.