Clinical implications of cytogenetic abnormalities in melanoma

In contrast to leukemias, in which specific reciprocal translocations are observed frequently, melanomas are characterized by complex, recurring chromosome anomalies. Although methods for analyzing the clinical significance of chromosome abnormalities present significant problems, there are ongoing efforts to accomplish this task. the patterns of melanoma chromosome abnormalities may help to identify genes important in melanoma progression or pathogenesis. In the last 5 years, advances in genetic techniques have allowed the rapid identification and localization of melanoma-related genes, and the genes involved in melanoma pathogenesis are being localized and identified. Abnormalities of the cell cycle inhibitory protein P16 may be a critical event in the progression of both sporadic and familial melanoma. The identification and characterization of this gene now serve as a model for current and future gene-cloning efforts in melanoma. Genes associated with tumor behavior and survival in more advanced tumors may be sought in primary specimens, and they may provide increased information regarding patient populations likely to benefit from adjuvant or investigational therapies.