Brain Cancer Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Brain Cancer, including details on symptoms, benign and malignant tumors, gliomas, treatment. | ||||||||
|
Metaphase and array comparative genomic hybridization: unique copy number changes and gene amplification of medulloblastomas in South America.Yoshimoto M, Bayani J, Nuin PA, Silva NS, Cavalheiro S, Stavale JN, Andrade JA, Zielenska M, Squire JA, de Toledo SR Applied Molecular Oncology, Ontario Cancer Institute, Princess Margaret Hospital, 610 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M5G 2M9, Canada. Tumors of the central nervous system are the second most frequent malignancy of childhood, accounting for the majority of cancer-related deaths in this age group. Among these tumors, medulloblastomas (MB) remain in need of further genomic characterization toward understanding of pathogenesis and outcome predictors. Eight pediatric embryonal brain tumors were analyzed: five MB (one being desmoplastic), one PNET, one medulloepithelioma, and one ependymoblastoma. Analyses identified genomic imbalances, including the gain of 16p and the nonsyntenic coamplification of MYCN and TERT loci. More detailed FISH analysis showed that coamplification of MYCN and TERT in one of the MBs manifested as dispersed nuclear speckling, consistent with the presence of double minute chromosomes. There was considerable cell-to-cell copy number heterogeneity present, but it was clear that both genes were amplified concordantly. The amplification of oncogenes seems to play an important role in the pathogenesis of MB, and the association between MYCN and TERT amplifications and poor prognosis has not been well recognized. The uncharacteristic pattern of genomic imbalances detected in MB tumors may be a reflection of the characteristics of these tumors occurring in South America. Published 12 September 2006 in Cancer Genet Cytogenet, 170(1): 40-7.
© 2004-2008 Brain Cancer Research Today. All Rights Reserved. |
| ||||||
