Modelling mutational landscapes of human cancers

A new report by investigators from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) describes how key aspects of cancer development can be modelled in cultured cells treated with carcinogenic chemicals. This first-of-its-kind study uses innovative genomics and bioinformatics approaches to establish specific mutation fingerprints left in the cellular DNA by carcinogens during cellular immortalization and clonal expansion, two characteristics of cancer development. The study was published today in the Nature Publishing Group’s Scientific Reports.

Olivier M, Weninger A, Ardin M, Huskova H, Castells X, Vallée MP, McKay J, Nedelko T, Muehlbauer KR, Marusawa H, Alexander J, Hazelwood L, Byrnes G, Hollstein M, Zavadil J.
Modelling mutational landscapes of human cancers in vitro. Scientific Reports (NPG). 4:4482; published on 27 March 2014; DOI:10.1038/srep04482.Read article