[Oncogene and patient prognosis]

Abstract

The common malignancies apparently develop by a stepwise accumulation of gene alterations including oncogenes and suppressor genes. Point mutation or deletion might be an early event for carcinogenesis and tumor progression, while amplification of several oncogenes occur as a late event. Amplification of some oncogenes apparently relate with patient prognosis, i.e. erbB2 for breast, ovarian and gastric carcinomas, HST-1/INT-2 for esophageal and breast carcinomas, and N-myc for neuroblastoma. Although amplification of erbB1 is less common, its expression indicate poorer prognosis in patients with esophageal, gastric and bladder carcinomas. Combination analysis of the gene amplification and other gene alterations, such as p53 gene might provide more useful clinical informations for the postoperative management and prognosis of cancer patients.