Gene Analysis for Bone and Soft Tissue Tumors

Abstract

It is generally accepted that malignant tumors arise from some genetic disorders which lead to abnormal proliferation and differentiation of the tumor cells. Moreover, some disorders may modulate the malignant properties, such as invasiveness or metastatic potential. Recent advances in molecular biology revealed these characteristic gene abnormalities in many cancers, and they have been classified as oncogenes, anti-oncogenes and modulator genes [1]. An oncogene usually codes some growth regulatory sequence, such as growth factor or its receptor, and controls tumor development positively. On the other hand, an anti-oncogene regulates the tumor cell negatively, normally suppressing tumorigenicity. Inactivation of the anti-oncogene will cause a tumor. Modulator genes are defined as the genes which can influence secondary malignant properties as, for example, in multidrug-resistant genes [2]. Analyses of these disordered genes in various tumors will offer a useful diagnostic tool to understand the characteristic behavior of the tumor and to decide upon appropriate therapy, because they reflect the essential properties of the disease. There is also a possibility that a new diagnostic classification can be made by adding the genetic information to the ordinary pathological classification. However, in bone and soft tissue, these analyses have just begun in only a few kinds of tumors. We report the involvement of c-fos gene expression as an oncogene and Rb (retinoblastoma) gene disorders as an anti-oncogene in some bone and soft tissue tumors.