CYTOGENETICS - AN EVOLVING ROLE IN THE DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF CANCER

Conventional cytogenetics was first applied to the diagnosis of hemato logic malignancies approximately 35 years ago, when it was used to ide ntify the Philadelphia chromosome in patients with chronic leukemias. In the interim, methodologic improvements have resulted in the cytogen etic definition of a variety of myeloproliferative and lymphoprolifera tive disorders. Diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic approaches to leukemias and lymphomas have resulted from these applications. Cytogen etic study of solid tumors is in the early stages of clinical applicab ility. The use of conventional cytogenetics and molecular genetic tech niques in the diagnosis and treatment of cancers continues to evolve.