Cancer Genome and Tumor Microenvironment

ISBN 10: 1441907106 / ISBN 13: 9781441907103

Published by Springer, 2009

About this Item

pp. 512 45 Illus. (16 Col.).

Seller Inventory # 6695146

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Cancer Genome and Tumor Microenvironment
• Publisher: Springer
• Publication Date: 2009
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1441907106
• ISBN 13: 9781441907103
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

Oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes had been traditionally studied in the context of cell proliferation, differentiation, senescence, and survival, four relatively cell-autonomous processes. Consequently, in the late ’80s-early ’90s, neoplastic growth was described largely as an imbalance between net cell accumulation and loss, brought about through mutations in cancer genes. In the last ten years, a more holistic understanding of cancer has slowly emerged, stressing the importance of interactions between neoplastic and various stromal components: extracellular matrix, basement membranes, fibroblasts, endothelial cells of blood and lymphatic vessels, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, etc. The commonly held view is that changes in tumor microenvironment are “soft-wired”, i.e., epigenetic in nature and often reversible. Yet, there exists a large body of evidence suggesting that well-known mutations in cancer genes profoundly affect tumor milieu. In fact, these non-cell-autonomous changes might be one of the primary reasons such mutations are preserved in late-stage tumors.

From the Back Cover

Oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes had been traditionally studied in the context of cell proliferation, differentiation, senescence, and survival, four relatively cell-autonomous processes. Consequently, in the late ‘80s-mid ‘90s, neoplastic growth was described largely as a net imbalance between cell accumulation and loss, brought about through mutations in cancer genes. In the last ten years, a more holistic understanding of cancer slowly emerged, stressing the importance of interactions between neoplastic and various stromal components: extracellular matrix, basement membranes, fibroblasts, endothelial cells of blood and lymphatic vessels, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, etc . Nevertheless, the commonly held view is that changes in tumor microenvironment are "soft-wired", i.e. epigenetic in nature and often reversible. Yet, there exists a large body of evidence suggesting that well-known mutations in cancer genes profoundly affect tumor milieu. In fact, these cell-extrinsic changes might be one of the primary reasons such mutations are preserved in late-stage tumors. Cancer Genome and Tumor Microenvironment reviews how tumor microenvironment and progression can be "hard-wired", i.e. genetically controlled.