Molecular alterations in bone and soft-tissue sarcoma

Understanding the molecular alterations evident in human cancer offers the potential for more meaningful diagnosis and more accurate prediction of can cer risk as well as the hope of developing novel therapies. In this review, several of the molecular abnormalities identified in both bone and soft-ti ssue sarcoma are outlined. Some sarcomas exhibit consistent gene translocat ions, which produce a unique oncoprotein that can serve as a molecular fing erprint for the sarcoma subtype. Mutations in tumour suppressor genes resul t in cell proliferation that is not regulated by normal cell cycle control genes. Amplification (multiple copies) of genes that act as positive contro ls on cell division have a similar effect on increasing cell proliferation. Finally, the understanding of drug resistance and sarcoma response to sign alling systems such as IGF ligand and receptors may help in designing new t herapies based on molecular changes in the cancer.