Telomere dysfunction and the initiation of genome instability

David M. Feldser, Jennifer A. Hackett, Carol W. Greider

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

167 Scopus citations

Abstract

Tumour growth is an evolutionary process that is characterized by the selection of clonal populations of cells that acquire distinct genetic changes. Many cancer therapies aim to exploit the specific changes that occur in cancer cells, but understanding the underlying mechanisms of genomic instability that cause these mutations could lead to more effective therapies. If common mechanisms exist for initiating genomic instability in tumours, selection could explain the differences in specific gene mutations that accumulate in different tumour types. The cause of genomic instability in human tumours is unclear, although there is evidence to indicate that telomere dysfunction could make an important contribution.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)623-627
Number of pages5
JournalNature Reviews Cancer
Volume3
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2003

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Oncology
  • Cancer Research

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