Oncogenes and cancer: clinical applications.
Oncogenes are aberrant forms of proto-oncogenes, which are normal cellular genes that participate in cell growth and development; proto-oncogenes contribute to tumor formation when mutations or chromosomal translocation cause them to escape normal controls. Anti-oncogenes, also involved in neoplasm development, normally participate in inhibition of cell growth and proliferation; they become tumorigenic when mutations alter their function. Oncogene or anti-oncogene abnormalities have been characterized for a variety of tumors, with resulting clinical applications. In some forms of leukemia, for example, determining the presence or absence of the bcr-abl gene rearrangement has both diagnostic and prognostic value. The best-studied anti-oncogene is that found in retinoblastoma. Molecular techniques can differentiate the hereditary from the nonhereditary form of this disease and, with hereditary retinoblastoma, predict disease likelihood in family members.
Fishleder
A J
AJ
Department of Laboratory Hematology, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Ohio 44195.
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000235:genetics*; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000235:genetics*; D009857:Oncogenes / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012175:Retinoblastoma / Q000235:genetics; D014178:Translocation, Genetic