肿瘤基因组研究进展

Progress in Cancer Genome

所有的肿瘤都源自于细胞基因组DNA序列的异常。在整个生命过程中,甚至从最初的受精卵开始,人体细胞的基因组就暴露于各种突变诱变因素和自身的复制错误之中,这些不利影响可能导致任何细胞的DNA序列渐进的、细微的突变。过去的25年中,这些突变和基因异常如何调控肿瘤的成长已经越来越多地为人们所认识,在此基础上,大量获得肿瘤基因组的完整DNA序列已经成为可能。这些研究将为人类提供肿瘤发生和成长的重要线索。

All cancers occur due to abnormalities in the DNA sequence of the genomes of cancer cells. Throughout life, the genome within cells of the human body is exposed to mutagens and mistakes in replication. These corrosive influences result in progressive, subtle mutations of the DNA sequence in each cell from that originally constituted in the fertilized eggs. Over the past quarter of a century much has been learnt about these mutations and the abnormal genes that operate in human cancers. On this basis, it will be possible to obtain the complete DNA sequence of large numbers of cancer genomes. These studies will provide human beings with a detailed and comprehensive perspective on how individ- ual cancers have developed.