Causes and Consequences of Aneuploidy in Cancer

Overview

Journal Nat Rev Genet

Specialty Genetics

Date 2012 Jan 25

PMID 22269907

Citations 460

Authors

David J Gordon

Benjamin Resio

David Pellman

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Genetic instability, which includes both numerical and structural chromosomal abnormalities, is a hallmark of cancer. Whereas the structural chromosome rearrangements have received substantial attention, the role of whole-chromosome aneuploidy in cancer is much less well-understood. Here we review recent progress in understanding the roles of whole-chromosome aneuploidy in cancer, including the mechanistic causes of aneuploidy, the cellular responses to chromosome gains or losses and how cells might adapt to tolerate these usually detrimental alterations. We also explore the role of aneuploidy in cellular transformation and discuss the possibility of developing aneuploidy-specific therapies.

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