Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 16, 2026

Detecting Somatic Genetic Alterations in Tumor Specimens by Exon Capture and Massively Parallel Sequencing
11:02

Detecting Somatic Genetic Alterations in Tumor Specimens by Exon Capture and Massively Parallel Sequencing

Published on: October 18, 2013

The continuing search for cancer-causing somatic mutations

Gillian L Dalgliesh, P Andrew Futreal

    Breast Cancer Research : BCR
    |February 27, 2007
    PubMed

    Insights

    Cancer arises from accumulated DNA mutations. Researchers screened 91 breast cancers, identifying somatic variants in 21 key genes to better understand tumor progression.

    Area of Science:

    • Genomics
    • Cancer Biology
    • Molecular Oncology

    Background:

    • Cancer development is linked to accumulating DNA mutations, including germline and somatic alterations.
    • While many genes are implicated, known mutations do not explain all cancer cases.
    • Advances in human genome sequencing enable large-scale mutation discovery in cancer.

    Discussion:

    • Chanock and colleagues performed a somatic variant screen in 91 breast cancer samples.
    • The study focused on a panel of 21 specific genes critical for tumor progression.
    • This research contributes to identifying novel cancer-associated genes.

    Key Insights:

    • The study identified somatic variants in a set of 21 genes across 91 breast cancer samples.
    • This provides a focused dataset for understanding the genetic landscape of breast cancer.
    • The findings aid in pinpointing genes somatically mutated in cancer.

    Outlook:

    • Further research can validate these findings and explore the functional impact of identified variants.
    • This screening approach can be expanded to larger cohorts and diverse cancer types.
    • Identifying novel somatically mutated genes is crucial for developing targeted cancer therapies.

    More Related Videos

    Simple and Rapid Method to Obtain High-quality Tumor DNA from Clinical-pathological Specimens Using Touch Imprint Cytology11:20

    Simple and Rapid Method to Obtain High-quality Tumor DNA from Clinical-pathological Specimens Using Touch Imprint Cytology

    Published on: March 21, 2018

    Next Generation Sequencing for the Detection of Actionable Mutations in Solid and Liquid Tumors11:15

    Next Generation Sequencing for the Detection of Actionable Mutations in Solid and Liquid Tumors

    Published on: September 20, 2016

    Related Concept Videos

    Cancers Originate from Somatic Mutations in a Single Cell02:21

    Cancers Originate from Somatic Mutations in a Single Cell

    Cancer arises from mutations in the critical genes that allow healthy cells to escape cell cycle regulation and acquire the ability to proliferate indefinitely. Though originating from a single mutation event in one of the originator cells, cancer progresses when the mutant cell lines continue to gain more and more mutations, and finally, become malignant. For example, chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) develops initially as a non-lethal increase in white blood cells, which progressively...
    Cancers Originate from Somatic Mutations in a Single Cell02:21

    Cancers Originate from Somatic Mutations in a Single Cell

    Cancer arises from mutations in the critical genes that allow healthy cells to escape cell cycle regulation and acquire the ability to proliferate indefinitely. Though originating from a single mutation event in one of the originator cells, cancer progresses when the mutant cell lines continue to gain more and more mutations, and finally, become malignant. For example, chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) develops initially as a non-lethal increase in white blood cells, which progressively...
    Cancer02:18

    Cancer

    Cancers arise due to mutations in genes involved in the regulation of cell division, which leads to unrestricted cell proliferation. Modern science and medicine have made great strides in the understanding and treatment of cancer, including eradicating cancer in some patients. However, there is still no cure for cancer. This is largely due to the fact that cancer is a large group of many diseases.
    Tumor Progression02:07

    Tumor Progression

    Tumor progression is a phenomenon where the pre-formed tumor acquires successive mutations to become clinically more aggressive and malignant. In the 1950s, Foulds first described the stepwise progression of cancer cells through successive stages.
    Colon cancer is one of the best-documented examples of tumor progression. Early mutation in the APC gene in colon cells causes a small growth on the colon wall called a polyp. With time, this polyp grows into a benign, pre-cancerous tumor. Further...
    Tumor Progression02:07

    Tumor Progression

    Tumor progression is a phenomenon where the pre-formed tumor acquires successive mutations to become clinically more aggressive and malignant. In the 1950s, Foulds first described the stepwise progression of cancer cells through successive stages.
    Colon cancer is one of the best-documented examples of tumor progression. Early mutation in the APC gene in colon cells causes a small growth on the colon wall called a polyp. With time, this polyp grows into a benign, pre-cancerous tumor. Further...
    Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes01:05

    Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes

    Genes usually encode proteins necessary for the proper functioning of a healthy cell. Mutations can often cause changes to the gene expression pattern, thereby altering the phenotype.
    When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
    Such genes that act...