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Review
. 2013 Sep 19;501(7467):338-45.
doi: 10.1038/nature12625.

The causes and consequences of genetic heterogeneity in cancer evolution

Rebecca A Burrell  1 , Nicholas McGranahan, Jiri Bartek, Charles Swanton
Affiliations
Review

The causes and consequences of genetic heterogeneity in cancer evolution

Rebecca A Burrell et al. Nature. .

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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