Normal today, cancer tomorrow - Innovation America

Without warning cancer can arise from a single catastrophic chromosomal event involving tens to hundreds of breaks in the DNA that are haphazardly pieced back together, researchers reported in the January 7th issue of Cell.

"In most cancers, a handful of mutations are accumulated over time, gradually evolving into a more aggressive form," said Peter Campbell, blood oncologist at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and lead author of the study. But in some situations, he adds, cancer can come out of nowhere, leaving its victim little time for treatment.

To read the full, original article click on this link: Normal today, cancer tomorrow - The Scientist - Magazine of the Life Sciences

Author: Vanessa Schipani