Work

Genetic instability and darwinian selection in tumours

Year: 1999

Type: review

Abstract: Genetic instability has long been hypothesized to be a cardinal feature of cancer. Recent work has strengthened the proposal that mutational alterations conferring instability occur early during tumour formation. The ensuing genetic instability drives tumour progression by generating mutations in oncogenes and tumour-suppressor genes. These mutant genes provide cancer cells with a selective growth advantage, thereby leading to the clonal outgrowth of a tumour. Here, we discuss the role of genetic instability in tumour formation and outline future work necessary to substantiate the genetic instability hypothesis.

Source: Trends in Biochemical Sciences

DOI: 10.1016/s0968-0004(99)01466-8

Authors: Daniel P Cahill, Kenneth W Kinzler, Bert Vogelstein, Christoph Lengauer

Institutions: Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Language: English

Topic: Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics

Subfield: Cancer Research

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $7,030

Funders: Johns Hopkins University, National Institutes of Health