Cytogenetics and cancer

Techniques based on fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) have bridged the gap between molecular genetics and conventional cytogenetics. Since its introduction in the late 1980s, advanced FISH-based methods have greatly enhanced the cytogenetic analysis of hematopoietic and solid tumors and are rapidly gaining ground in clinical cytogenetic diagnostics. As interest in FISH technologies has grown, it has inspired an era of new FISH-based technologies such as multiplex FISH, spectral karyotyping, and comparative genomic hybridization. In this review, the focus is on the impact of these technologies in the field of cancer genetics.