Abstract
New molecular biology methods have specified the evidence of chromosomal changes in the tumor tissue. These alterations can be proven to exist in the majority of malignant tumors.
The fast progress of whole genome molecular biological methods has helped to improve the knowledge of tumor genetics. The evidence of genetic changes is a component of currently used diagnostic and prognostic schemes in particular cancer diseases.
Karyotyping was the first method used in the clinical practice but its importance has decreased with the arrival of new molecular biological methods. The most common methods used for the detection of chromosomal deletions or amplifications are CGH, array-CGH and SNP array.
The first two methods are based on the principle of comparison between tumor DNA and control DNA. The principle of SNP array uses the presence of single nucleotide polymorphisms that are located in the whole genome in each individual.
SNP array can prove not only deletions or amplifications of the chromosomes but unlike CGH techniques it can also detect a loss of heterozygosity or uniparental disomy. The screening of chromosomal changes has nowadays become routine.
These techniques are used for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of cancer disease in certain cases.