MyPathologyReport
August 18, 2022
MDM2 is a gene that promotes cell division (the creation of new cells). Normal cells and those in non-cancerous tumours have two copies of the MDM2 gene. In contrast, cancerous tumours such as atypical lipomatous tumour/well differentiated liposarcoma have more than two copies of the MDM2 gene.
A test called fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is commonly used to count the number of MDM2 genes in a cell. An increased number of genes (more than two) is called amplification. MDM2 amplification is commonly seen in tumours such as atypical lipomatous tumour/well differentiated liposarcoma.