Comprehensive allelotype and genetic analysis of 466 human nervous system tumors

Brain tumors pose a particular challenge to molecular oncology. Many differ ent tumor entities develop in the nervous system and some of them appear to follow distinct pathogenic routes. Molecular genetic alterations have incr easingly been reported in nervous system neoplasms. However. a considerable number of affected genes remain to be identified. We present here a compre hensive allelotype analysis of 466 nervous system tumors based on loss of h eterozygosity (LOH) studies with 129 microsatellite markers that span the g enome. Specific alterations of the EGFR. CDK4. CDKN2A, TP53. DMBTI. NF2, an d PTEN genes were analyzed in addition. Our data point to several novel gen eric loci associated with bl ain tumor development, demonstrate relationshi ps between molecular changes and histopathological features. and further ex pand the concept of molecular tumor variants in neuro-oncology. This catalo gue may provide a valuable framework Tol future studies to delineate molecu lar pathways in many types of human central nervous system tumors.