Diagnostic and prognostic applications of oncogenes in surgical pathology

The explosion in basic research and technology associated with oncogenes will undoubtedly have a significant impact on surgical pathology. The techniques of Southern, Northern, and Western blotting along with in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry are all applicable to the analysis of oncogene status in human solid tumors. The oncogenes imminently affecting surgical pathology practice are those of the ras, myc, HER1-2, and int families, and putative suppressor genes such as the Rb gene. The proto-oncogene counterparts have protein products that normally play key roles in the regulation of cell proliferation, differentiation, and morphogenesis. Qualitative and quantitative alterations of these genes may be associated with the transformation and progression of human solid tumors. The new technology associated with oncogenes must go through a process of assessment to form a bridge between basic research and prudent clinical application. Pathologists should play a key role in this assessment.