Advances in chromosomal translocations and fusion genes in sarcomas and potential therapeutic applications

Xin Xiao; Cassandra C Garbutt; Francis Hornicek; Zheng Guo; Zhenfeng Duan

doi:10.1016/j.ctrv.2017.12.001

Advances in chromosomal translocations and fusion genes in sarcomas and potential therapeutic applications

Cancer Treat Rev. 2018 Feb:63:61-70. doi: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2017.12.001. Epub 2017 Dec 6.

Authors

Xin Xiao¹, Cassandra C Garbutt², Francis Hornicek³, Zheng Guo⁴, Zhenfeng Duan⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Orthopedics, Xijing Hospital, Forth Military Medical University, Xian 710032, Shaanxi, PR China; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 615 Charles E. Young. Dr. South, Los Angeles, CA 90095-6902, USA.
² Sarcoma Biology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, Jackson 1115, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
³ Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 615 Charles E. Young. Dr. South, Los Angeles, CA 90095-6902, USA.
⁴ Department of Orthopedics, Xijing Hospital, Forth Military Medical University, Xian 710032, Shaanxi, PR China. Electronic address: guozheng@fmmu.edu.cn.
⁵ Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 615 Charles E. Young. Dr. South, Los Angeles, CA 90095-6902, USA. Electronic address: zduan@mednet.ucla.edu.

PMID: 29247978
DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2017.12.001

Abstract

Chromosomal translocations and fusion genes are very common in human cancer especially in subtypes of sarcomas, such as rhabdomyosarcoma, Ewing's sarcoma, synovial sarcoma and liposarcoma. The discovery of novel chromosomal translocations and fusion genes in different tumors are due to the advancement of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies such as whole genome sequencing. Recently, many novel chromosomal translocations and gene fusions have been identified in different types of sarcoma through NGS approaches. In addition to previously known sarcoma fusion genes, these novel specific fusion genes and associated molecular events represent important targets for novel therapeutic approaches in the treatment of sarcomas. This review focuses on recent advances in chromosomal translocations and fusion genes in sarcomas and their potential therapeutic applications in the treatment of sarcomas.

Keywords: Chromosomal translocations; Fusion genes; Sarcomas; Therapeutic strategies.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Gene Fusion / genetics*
Humans
Sarcoma / genetics*
Translocation, Genetic / genetics*
Whole Genome Sequencing / methods