Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 13, 2026

High-Throughput Dissociation and Orthotopic Implantation of Breast Cancer Patient-Derived Xenografts
Published on: December 20, 2024
Mutational landscape of normal breast tissues adjacent to invasive breast cancer
Aleksandra Suwalska1, Mariya Rozenblit2, Malini Harigopal3
1Department of Data Science and Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland.
Abstract:
Individuals with a history of breast cancer are at increased risk of developing a new breast cancer during their lifetime. Rare but high-impact somatic mutations in normal breast tissues may contribute to malignant transformation. We analyze mutations in cancer-relevant pathways across matched samples of peripheral blood, cancer-adjacent normal breast, and breast cancer from patients diagnosed before 50 years of age who carry no germline mutations in cancer-predisposing genes. Gene- and pathway-level mutation profiles and single-base substitution (SBS) signatures are compared between tissue types in two independent cohorts (Yale, n = 24; TCGA, n = 17). Cancer-adjacent normal breast tissue contains multiple acquired somatic mutations that persist in tumors. Most variants are shared across tissue types from the same individual, indicating strong germline influence. The substantial germline contribution to alterations through common and rare polymorphisms in cancer hallmark pathways supports a model of cancer risk based on the collective impact of variants in cancer-related genes.
Related Concept Videos
Tumor Progression
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...
The Tumor Microenvironment
Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...
Cancers Originate from Somatic Mutations in a Single Cell

