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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 March 2009
Our understanding of the genetic changes that transform normal cells into malignant cells is increasing at a remarkable pace. Some of the changes involve detectable cytogenetic aberrations, whereas others are identifiable only at the molecular level. Many of the structural cytogenetic changes have also been defined molecularly because the genes involved have been cloned. Thus, we are approaching the stage in which the DNA obtained from tumor tissue can be analyzed to detect the presence of a series of chromosomal and molecular alterations. These studies provide important information regarding the precise diagnosis of the tumor type as well as prognostic information about the likely response to therapy and survival.