It is clear that there are at least two classes of cancer-related genes. The more characterized of these are the oncogenes, whose activation appears to play a major role in human neoplasia. There are now two families of oncogenes, the myc and ras families, whose cooperation seems capable of transforming normal cells in culture to tumorigenic cells. As such, they appear to form complementation groups with immortalizing and transforming properties, respectively. Moreover, the oncogenes can be subclassified as tyrosine kinases or kinase related, GTP binding proteins, growth factors or growth factor receptors or nuclear proteins. More than 20 viral oncogenes have been identified, for which more than 30 proto-oncogenes or pseudogenes exist in the human genome. Many of these have been cloned, characterized to some extent, and mapped to particular chromosomes or regions of chromosomes. Further, more than 20 additional putative oncogenes or transforming genes have been identified by tumor DNA transfection studies or at sites of integration or translocation for which no viral transforming gene cognates exist. Oncogenes can be activated by increased or unregulated expression, increased copy number (duplication, amplification), or somatic mutation resulting in a protein with increased oncogenic potential. Examples of all of these mechanisms can be found in several specific human cancers or leukemias. The cytogenetic correlate of enhanced expression is a translocation between two chromosomes at specific breakpoints with no net loss of genetic material (e.g., increased c-myc expression resulting from the 8;14 translocation in Burkitt's lymphoma). The phenomenon of increased gene copy number can sometimes be visualized as trisomy or tetrasomy for a particular chromosome but more dramatically as the development of extrachromosomal DMs or as chromosomally integrated HSRs (e.g., the N-myc gene amplification seen in neuroblastoma). Finally, certain somatic mutations can be associated with translocations (e.g., the bcr/abl fusion product created as a result of the 9;22 translocation in chronic myelogenous leukemia), but they are more commonly submicroscopic (as characterized by point mutations in the ras gene family). Evidence is accumulating for a second class of cancer-related genes whose absence or inactivation is associated with tumorigenesis. These genes are associated at the cytogenetic level with chromosomal deletions, in which the breakpoints may be variable, but specific, common regions are consistently deleted.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)