Cytogenetics and cancer

Techniques based on fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) have bridged the gap between molecular genetics and conventional cytogenetics. Since its introduction in the late 1980s, advanced FISH-based methods have greatly e nhanced the cytogenetic analysis of hematopoietic and solid tumors and are rapidly gaining ground in clinical cytogenetic diagnostics. As interest in FISH technologies has grown, it has inspired an era of new FISH-based techn ologies such as multiplex FISH, spectral karyotyping, and comparative genom ic hybridization, In this review, the focus is on the impact of these techn ologies in the field of cancer genetics. (C) 2000 Lippincott Williams & Wil kins, Inc.