MUSCULOSKELETAL ONCOLOGY - ADVANCES IN CYTOGENETICS AND MOLECULAR-GENETICS AND THEIR CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Although musculoskeletal malignancies comprise a small group of cancer s, a vast number of histological subtypes have been identified attesti ng to the heterogeneity of this class of tumours and the growing inter est in their development. The mode of management for both bone and sof t tissue sarcomas has been examined extensively and treatment guidelin es have been proposed. Despite the intensive study and multidisciplina ry treatment, a substantial proportion of tumours remain recalcitrant to therapy and recur locally and systemically. Improved methods of cha racterising these tumours may help in understanding their biology. Cyt ogenetic and molecular genetic ;techniques allow a subcellular dissect ion of these malignancies which may aid the identification of mechanis ms that are important in tumorigenesis. Already candidate genes have b een isolated which may play an important role in the deregulation of p roliferation and/or the adoption of a malignant phenotype, features wh ich are fundamental in tumour development. By studying the molecular b iology and cytogenetics of tumours it may be possible to improve diagn ostic and prognostic accuracy thereby minimising over and under treatm ent.