두개 기저부 척삭종의 세포유전학 및 분자생물학의 최신 지견

Update on the Cytogenetics and Molecular Genetics of Skull Base Chordoma

Chordomas are rare, low-to-intermediate grade malignant tumors arising from notochordal remnants in the midline skeletal axis. They account for <1% of central nervous system tumors and <5% of all primary malignant bone tumors. It is characterized by slow growth, local recurrence, and low metastasis rates. An increasing variety of techniques is now available to detect genetic alterations in chordomas, herein, we review the current knowledge of the genetic alterations in the skull base chordomas. The distribution of copy number changes is composed by two approaches; the low-resolution banding karyotyping and high-resolution whole genome CGH approach. The mapping of candidate genes in chordoma genesis awaits the application of high resolution targeted approaches. Chromosome 1p36.13 and 7q33 represent a candidate region for a chordoma gene. In gene expression study, many genes, such as HER2/neu, epidermal growth factor receptor, c-Met, platelet-derived growth factor receptor A and B, KIT receptors, E-cadherin, neural cell adhesion molecule, progesterone receptor B, estrogen receptor alpha, transforming growth factor alpha and basic fibroblast growth factor, fibronectin, and Cathepsin K, are differentially expressed and act a potential therapeutic target.