Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 18, 2026

Long-term Live-cell Imaging to Assess Cell Fate in Response to Paclitaxel
Published on: May 14, 2018
Chromothripsis and cancer: causes and consequences of chromosome shattering
Josep V Forment1, Abderrahmane Kaidi, Stephen P Jackson
1The Gurdon Institute and Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK.
Abstract:
Genomic alterations that lead to oncogene activation and tumour suppressor loss are important driving forces for cancer development. Although these changes can accumulate progressively during cancer evolution, recent studies have revealed that many cancer cells harbour chromosomes bearing tens to hundreds of clustered genome rearrangements. In this Review, we describe how this striking phenomenon, termed chromothripsis, is likely to arise through chromosome breakage and inaccurate reassembly. We also discuss the potential diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic implications of chromothripsis in cancer.
Related Concept Videos
Cancers Originate from Somatic Mutations in a Single Cell
Cancers Originate from Somatic Mutations in a Single Cell
Fixing Double-strand Breaks
Fixing Double-strand Breaks
Separation of Sister Chromatids
At the onset of anaphase, separase, a proteolytic enzyme, is...
Replicative Cell Senescence

