Germline and somatic genetics of osteosarcoma - connecting aetiology, biology and therapy.
Clinical outcomes and treatment modalities for osteosarcoma, the most common primary cancer of bone, have changed very little over the past 30 years. The peak incidence of osteosarcoma occurs during the adolescent growth spurt, which suggests that bone growth and pubertal hormones are important in the aetiology of the disease. Tall stature, high birth weight and certain inherited cancer predisposition syndromes are well-described risk factors for osteosarcoma. Common genetic variants are also associated with osteosarcoma. The somatic genome of osteosarcoma is highly aneuploid, exhibits extensive intratumoural heterogeneity and has a higher mutation rate than most other paediatric cancers. Complex pathways related to bone growth and development and tumorigenesis are also important in osteosarcoma biology. In this Review, we discuss the contributions of germline and somatic genetics, tumour biology and animal models in improving our understanding of osteosarcoma aetiology, and their potential to identify novel therapeutic targets and thus improve the lives of patients with osteosarcoma.
Clinical Genetics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, 9609 Medical Center Drive, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
D Matthew
DM
Gianferante
Clinical Genetics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, 9609 Medical Center Drive, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
Lisa
L
Mirabello
Clinical Genetics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, 9609 Medical Center Drive, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
Sharon A
SA
Savage
D000818:Animals; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000639:trends*; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D012516:Osteosarcoma / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy