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bioRxiv · 10.1101/158006

Neutral tumor evolution?

Tarabichi, M.·Martincorena, I.·Gerstung, M.·Markowetz, F.·Spellman, P. T.·Morris, Q. D.·Lingjaerde, O. C.·Wedge, D. C.·Van Loo, P.·- PCAWG Evolution and Heterogeneity Working Group,
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Abstract

Tumor growth is an evolutionary process governed by somatic mutation, clonal selection and random genetic drift, constrained by the co-evolution of the microenvironment1,2. Tumor subclones are subpopulations of tumor cells with a common set of mutations resulting from the expansion of a single cell during tumor development, and have been observed in a significant fraction of cancers and across multiple cancer types3. Peter Nowell proposed that tumors evolve through sequential genetic events4, whereby one cell acquires a selective advantage so that its lineage becomes predominant. According to this traditional model, the selective advantage is conferred by a small set of driver mutations, but, as the subclones that bear them expand successively, they accumulate passenger mutations as well, which can be detected in sequencing experiments1. Genomes of indiv ...

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Tarabichi, M., Martincorena, I., Gerstung, M., Markowetz, F., Spellman, P. T., Morris, Q. D., Lingjaerde, O. C., Wedge, D. C., Van Loo, P., - PCAWG Evolution and Heterogeneity Working Group,. 2017-06-30. Neutral tumor evolution?. https://doi.org/10.1101/158006

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