MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF TESTICULAR CARCINOGENESIS

Molecular investigations into the neoplastic transformation of a norma l spermatogenic precursor cell into a germ-cell malignancy have implic ated a wide array of DNA and RNA alterations. Previous epidemiologic a nd familial patterns of cancer presentation had suggested that testicu lar cancer developed from one or more genetic alterations. In particul ar, mutations in cellular oncogenes such as c-kit and tumor-suppressor genes such as the retinoblastoma gene product have been identified as putative etiologic agents in the development and progression of testi cular germ-cell tumors. Additionally, alterations in the transcription of RNA that are regulated through a process of genomic imprinting hav e been identified in human testis cancers. This report provides a fram ework for integrating this growing literature on the molecular biology of testicular germ-cell tumors into a potential etiologic hypothesis.