Molecular pathogenesis of osteosarcoma

Maya Kansara1, David M Thomas

  • 1Ian Potter Foundation Centre for Cancer Genomics and Predictive Medicine and Research Division, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia.

DNA and Cell Biology
|February 1, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Osteosarcoma research has advanced cancer biology and treatment over 30 years. Key gene discoveries and chemotherapy have improved survival for this rare bone cancer.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Osteosarcoma is a rare but severe bone cancer.
  • Research over 30 years has significantly advanced understanding and treatment.
  • Key discoveries include tumor suppressor genes and DNA helicases in familial syndromes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide a comprehensive overview of osteosarcoma's molecular causes.
  • To highlight significant research contributions over the past three decades.
  • To suggest future research directions in osteosarcoma.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of osteosarcoma research.
  • Analysis of key genetic factors and their roles.
  • Examination of advancements in clinical management, including chemotherapy.

Main Results:

  • Insights into critical cancer genes like retinoblastoma tumor suppressor gene and TP53.
  • Identification of familial cancer syndromes linked to DNA helicases.
  • Demonstrated improvements in patient survival through adjuvant chemotherapy.

Conclusions:

  • Significant progress has been made in understanding osteosarcoma's molecular underpinnings.
  • Adjuvant chemotherapy has dramatically improved survival rates.
  • Further research is crucial for continued advancements in osteosarcoma management.

Related Concept Videos

Tumor Progression02:07

Tumor Progression

Tumor progression is a phenomenon where the pre-formed tumor acquires successive mutations to become clinically more aggressive and malignant. In the 1950s, Foulds first described the stepwise progression of cancer cells through successive stages.
Colon cancer is one of the best-documented examples of tumor progression. Early mutation in the APC gene in colon cells causes a small growth on the colon wall called a polyp. With time, this polyp grows into a benign, pre-cancerous tumor. Further...
Tumor Progression02:07

Tumor Progression

Tumor progression is a phenomenon where the pre-formed tumor acquires successive mutations to become clinically more aggressive and malignant. In the 1950s, Foulds first described the stepwise progression of cancer cells through successive stages.
Colon cancer is one of the best-documented examples of tumor progression. Early mutation in the APC gene in colon cells causes a small growth on the colon wall called a polyp. With time, this polyp grows into a benign, pre-cancerous tumor. Further...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
Metastasis02:30

Metastasis

Metastasis is the spread of cancer cells from the original site to distant locations in the body. Cancer cells can spread via blood vessels (hematogenous) as well as lymph vessels in the body.
Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition
The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition or EMT is a developmental process commonly observed in wound healing, embryogenesis, and cancer metastasis. EMT is induced by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) or receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) ligands, which further...
Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) and Cancer01:03

Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) and Cancer

Rous Sarcoma virus or RSV was discovered by F. Peyton Rous in the year 1911 as a filterable transmissible agent that could cause tumors in chickens. He won a Nobel Prize for this discovery in 1966. His experiments clearly demonstrated that some cancers could be caused by infectious agents and led to the discovery of many more cancer-causing viruses in animals as well as humans.
RSV is a retrovirus that contains two copies of a plus-strand  RNA genome. Its genome consists of four main open...