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Updated: Aug 18, 2025

Global and Current Research Trends of Single-Cell Sequencing in Cancer: A Bibliometric and Visualization Study
Published on: April 18, 2025
Spatial biology of cancer evolution
Zaira Seferbekova1, Artem Lomakin1,2, Lucy R Yates3
1Division of AI in Oncology, German Cancer Research Centre DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany.
Cancer evolution is driven by mutation and selection, with spatial patterns crucial for understanding tumor progression. New spatial technologies reveal how tumors and their microenvironments co-evolve, offering novel therapeutic strategies.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Genomics
Background:
- Cancer progression involves mutation, selection, and spatial changes like invasion and metastasis.
- Spatial patterns are key in histological tumor grading and staging.
- Tumor cells exist within a complex ecosystem including the tumor microenvironment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore cancer evolution using spatial technologies.
- To characterize tumor microenvironments and cellular interactions.
- To investigate the co-evolution of tumors and microenvironments.
Main Methods:
- Application of novel spatial genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic technologies.
- Detailed molecular and spatial analysis of tumors.
- Characterization of tumor microenvironment composition and structure.
Main Results:
- Spatial technologies provide high-resolution molecular and spatial data.
- Tumor microenvironments and tumor cells exhibit co-evolutionary patterns.
- These findings explain tumor heterogeneity and suggest therapeutic avenues.
Conclusions:
- Understanding cancer through an evolutionary and spatial lens is critical.
- Spatial technologies are revolutionizing cancer research.
- Co-evolution of tumors and microenvironments presents new therapeutic opportunities.
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