MULTIPLE TUMOR SUPPRESSOR GENES IN MULTISTEP CARCINOGENESIS

One of the most exciting areas of molecular oncology is the convergenc e of two independent lines of evidence suggesting involvement of multi ple tumor suppressor genes in a given type of cancer. First, epidemiol ogy and somatic cell genetics indicate the presence of multiple tumor suppressor genes in each of several malignancies. Second, cancers ofte n lose multiple chromosomal regions during tumor progression. We will use two tumors, colorectal cancer and Wilms tumor, to illustrate the q uestions that multiple tumor suppressor genes raise.