Recent advances in glioma molecular biology

Meanwhile first gene therapy assays in cerebral gliomas are in progress, we present in this article a review of the major genetic aberrations reported to date in these tumors. The analysis of these alterations enabled, these last few years, significative advances in the understanding of the mechanisms involved in glioma tumorigenesis. it is more well recognised that tumors result from a multistep process requiring in particular proto-oncogenes activation and tumor suppressor genes inactivation. The different genes implicated in the development of gliomas, their place in the tumoral progression and their potential therapeutic relevance are detailed in this review. The continuation of the identification of glioma altered genes is essential to provide new diagnostic and pronostic markers, and specific targets for more efficient therapy.