ONCOGENES AND TUMOR-SUPPRESSOR GENES IN MESOTHELIOMA - A SYNOPSIS

Invariably mesothelioma is diagnosed late in the development of the di sease when treatment is no longer effective. Therefore, a key to reduc ing the mortality rate of this neoplasm is knowledge of the general se quence of genetic events between initiation of mesothelial cells and t he emergence of the metastatic tumor cells. Unfortunately, relatively little is known about the early changes in the genesis of this disease . Of the known changes, the most frequent are in the tumor-suppressor genes p16(INK4a) and NF2 and possibly that SV40 virus large T-antigen oncogene. The molecular nature of the changes in these genes as well a s other alterations are addressed in this overview.