Gene expression signatures in lymphoid tumours

Lymphoid tumours comprise the acute and chronic leukaemias, the broad spectrum of lymphomas, including Hodgkin's disease, and multiple myeloma. The subdivision of the acute leukaemias according to the proliferating type of white blood cells has had a major impact on the care of these patients. More recently, specific chromosomal translocations have been used to identify patients who may benefit from more intensive therapies. The novel high-throughput genomic technologies, such as microarrays, provide new avenues for the molecular diagnosis of the haematological malignancies. Rapid advances in genome sequencing and gene expression profiling provide unprecedented opportunities to identify specific genes involved in complex biological processes, including tumorigenesis. The features of microarray technology and the variety of experimental approaches to elucidate lymphoid malignancies are discussed. Microarray technology has the potential to lead to more accurate prognostic assessment for patients and is expected to ultimately allow the clinician to select therapies optimally suited to each patient.