In recent years, there have been great advances in our understanding of the genetic events and the molecular biology of human brain gliomas. Cytogenetic information has suggested that a pattern of non-random abnormalities involving numerical deviations such as the gain, partial deletion, or total loss of chromosomes as well as translocations and structural rearrangements of certain chromosome lesions are characteristic features for some tumors. In addition, the somatic activation of cellular oncogenes and inactivation of tumor suppressor genes represent important genetic alterations leading to progressive disorder of normal cellular growth control mechanisms. This review describes the abnormal chromosomal and molecular abnormalities that occur during formation of brain tumors of astrocytic origin, particularly fibrillary astrocytic neoplasms. The most frequent genetic alterations include inactivation of the p53, p16, Rb and PTEN genes, and overexpression of the CDK4, EGFR and VEGF genes. Other less well defined abnormalities include aberrations in chromosomes 1, 9, 10, 11, 19 and 22.

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