Cytogenic and molecular genetic analyses of the major histological subtypes of nervous system tumors, gliomas, meningiomas, and neurinomas, have provided interesting information on the mechanisms responsible for or contributing to their origin and development. Regarding malignant gliomas, a complex pattern of chromosomal involvement has been documented at the cytogenetic level: gains of chromosome 7 and losses of chromosome 10, 9p, 17p, and 22; further molecular characterization of these abnormalities has shown that mutational alterations of the p53 gene, together with the loss of alleles at 17p, seem to be the earliest abnormalities occurring during the genesis and progression of these neoplasms. The losses of regions on chromosomes 22 and 13 might also be relatively early events, perhaps characterizing subgroups of low grade gliomas. The mutations of the p53 gene in low grade tumors leads to a selective advantage in vivo and seems to be a critical step in the transformation from low grade to high grade gliomas. The loss of sequences on chromosome 10 and the deletions of 9p (that is loss of tumor suppressor genes on these locations), and epidermal growth factor receptor gene amplification, have been proposed as sequential abnormalities participating in glioblastoma tumorigenesis. The available data on meningiomas and neurinomas show that loss of regions on chromosome 22 is the main characteristic feature. Thus, tumor suppressor genes located in this chromosome are non-randomly involved in both neoplasms, and may present as solitary, sporadic tumors or as multiple associated lesions in neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF-2). The molecular analysis of a large series of meningiomas to determine the common chromosome 22 region lost has revealed that a putative meningioma tumor suppressor gene should be located at the distal 22q12.3-qter region. In parallel, the linkage data on the mapping of the NF-2 gene suggest that the NF-2 and meningioma loci are separate entities. However, some evidence exists on a possible participation of the NF-2 locus in the genesis of some meningiomas. The efforts to identify and isolate the genes involved, as well as their functional analysis, will contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms of oncogenesis in these neoplasms and will doubtless have a clinical impact in the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of nervous system tumors in patients.