Oncogenes and neuro-oncology

The application of molecular biological techniques to the study of lympho-erythroid neoplasms, colo-rectal carcinoma and neuroblastoma has led to fundamental insights into the nature of cellular proliferation, transformation and immortalisation as well as providing prognostic information about the biological behaviour of certain tumours. The study of the molecular genetics of central nervous system tumours with particular reference to oncogenes is however in its infancy. Most of the current literature concerns studies of small numbers of glial tumours or of glial tumour cell lines. In this review the results of these studies are analysed and compared with relevant oncogene findings in experimental cerebral neoplasia, extracranial tumours and postulated mechanisms of oncogene activation. The role of proto-oncogenes in the development of the brain, and the clinical relevance of advances in molecular biology to central nervous system neoplasia are discussed.