The Causes and Consequences of Genetic Heterogeneity in Cancer Evolution

Overview

Journal Nature

Specialty Science

Date 2013 Sep 20

PMID 24048066

Citations 1084

Authors

Rebecca A Burrell

Nicholas McGranahan

Jiri Bartek

Charles Swanton

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Recent studies have revealed extensive genetic diversity both between and within tumours. This heterogeneity affects key cancer pathways, driving phenotypic variation, and poses a significant challenge to personalized cancer medicine. A major cause of genetic heterogeneity in cancer is genomic instability. This instability leads to an increased mutation rate and can shape the evolution of the cancer genome through a plethora of mechanisms. By understanding these mechanisms we can gain insight into the common pathways of tumour evolution that could support the development of future therapeutic strategies.

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