Topic
Field studying the genetic mutations, clonal evolution, and inherited variants that drive cancer initiation, progression, and spread.
In tissue from 405 men, loss of the Y chromosome was heaviest in normal-looking cells nearest a tumor, and the Arizona group behind the work calls that one of the earliest signposts of cancer forming. Each man was sampled at one point in time.
Reality
Risk this large has been hard to measure because the variant is so rare, and the estimate exists because a consumer genetics cohort held 641 carriers when two major biobanks held 21. A CT screening trial is now running.
Reality
A University of Washington and Fred Hutch autopsy programme sequenced tumours from 20 people who died of bladder cancer to reconstruct how the disease spread. Plasmacytoid tumours turned out to limit the genomic damage chemotherapy leaves behind.
Reality
Sanger Institute researchers sequenced healthy esophageal lining from 70 patients treated for esophageal cancer and found that a few weeks of chemoradiotherapy left significantly more normal cells carrying cancer-related mutations.
Reality
Whole-genome sequencing of brown bullheads from Lake Memphremagog found tumors that are clones of each other, not of their hosts. It is the fourth transmissible cancer known.
Reality