Advances in Understanding the Molecular Biology of Brain Tumors

Many advances have been made in understanding the molecular biology of brain tumors through progress in cell and developmental biology. The molecular characterization of rare genetic disorders and tumors shed light on several common tumorigenic mechanisms: mitogenic signaling, cell cycle control, development, and cell surface-cytoskeleton interactions. Discovery of many new molecular markers and the recent identification of brain tumor stem cells offer new directions in future research for tumor molecular diagnostics and therapies.