The causes and consequences of genetic heterogeneity in cancer evolution.
Burrell, Rebecca A. 1,6; McGranahan, Nicholas 1,2,6; Bartek, Jiri 3,4; Swanton, Charles 1,5,c1
[Review] Nature. 501(7467):338-345, September 19, 2013.

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: Recent studies have revealed extensive genetic diversity both between and within tumours. This heterogeneity affects key cancer pathways, driving phenotypic variation, and poses a significant challenge to personalized cancer medicine. A major cause of genetic heterogeneity in cancer is genomic instability. This instability leads to an increased mutation rate and can shape the evolution of the cancer genome through a plethora of mechanisms. By understanding these mechanisms we can gain insight into the common pathways of tumour evolution that could support the development of future therapeutic strategies.

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