THE MOLECULAR-BIOLOGY OF BRAIN-TUMORS

Cancer currently is thought to arise in association with the accumulat ion of specific structural genetic alterations within somatic cells. T his article reviews the molecular genetic alterations associated with human brain tumors, including mutation or deletion of tumor suppressor genes (P53, NF1, NF2, RB1, CDKN2, APC, and the Gorlin and MEN1 loci) and activation of proto-oncogenes (EFGR, other growth factors and rece ptors, ras and mile families, res, gli, gsp). Molecular genetic change s associated with astrocytic tumors, oligodendrogliomas, ependymomas, medulloblastomas, meningiomas, schwannomas, and pituitary adenomas are discussed.