Characterization of Chromosomal Abnormalities in Cancer by Spectral Karyotyping

Spectral karyotyping is a novel method for the simultaneous visualization of the entire chromosomes of an organism by painting the chromosomes using a combination of fluorochromes. This allows improved identification of chromosomal aberrations that cannot be identified by conventional banding methods. Since introduction of cancer as a disease of the genome, researchers have employed various molecular techniques for a better understanding of malignancies. This review discusses the role and contributions of spectral karyotyping in the study and characterization of both solid and hematological malignancies.