RETINOBLASTOMA AND P53 GENES AS PROGNOSTIC INDICATORS IN UROLOGICAL ONCOLOGY

Recent studies of the malignant phenotype have suggested that cumulati ve genetic changes are necessary for a malignant cell to develop. Alte rations in particular genes associated with cell growth and division h ave been identified and two main classes of genes have been characteri zed. Oncogenes are those genes which when mutated promote tumour growt h, whereas tumour suppressor genes (antioncogenes) inhibit tumour grow th. Oncogenes have been investigated in some depth, but relatively lit tle is known about tumour suppressor genes. Recent studies have shown that inactivation of normal tumour suppressor genes is a common mechan ism in cancer progression and this may be of prognostic value. The pre sent review focuses on the potential of tumour suppresser genes as pro gnostic markers in urological cancers.