Cancer Genomics Post

Genomic sequencing has helped scientists see cancer as a disease of the genes. By reading the DNA of thousands of tumors, researchers like Vogelstein and colleagues (2013) discovered that while each cancer carries many mutations, only a few actually drive its growth. These key changes, called driver mutations, happen in important genes that control how cells grow and divide. Some of these are oncogenes, which act like stuck accelerators that push cells to multiply, while others are tumor suppressor genes that normally keep growth in check but fail when mutated. Many other small DNA changes, called SNPs, are harmless “passenger” mutations along for the ride. Sequencing has shown that, despite the complexity, most cancers disrupt the same basic pathways that control cell survival and repair. This understanding has led to more precise, personalized cancer treatments—targeting the specific mutations that make each tumor grow.