The molecular biology of human glial tumors

Abstract

Recent advances in molecular genetics have provided new insights into the mechanisms responsible for the development of the most prevalent tumors of the human nervous system. The results of these studies suggest that a common molecular mechanism — loss of regions of chromosome 22 possibly containing a tumor suppressor gene — is associated with several tumor types including Schwannomas, neurofibromas, meningiomas, and astrocytomas. This mechanism appears to be similar for both the solitary tumors that sporadically occur in the general population as well as for tumors in patients with one form of the genetic disorder neurofibromatosis. These results may ultimately be linked with parallel investigations of tumor-associated growth factors known to be mitogenic for the cells forming these neoplasms, and with reports of amplification of several oncogenes in malignant astrocytomas. Investigations into the relationship between recessive tumor suppressor genes and dominant oncogenes are providing new models of multi-step tumorigenesis in the nervous system. These research efforts may provide new techniques for diagnosis and treatment of patients with these tumors and ultimately lead to new insights into mechanisms controlling normal development and differentiation of the nervous system.