Half or more of the somatic mutations in cancers of self-renewing tissues originate prior to tumor initiation

• Published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS Vol. 110; no. 6; pp. 1999 - 2004
• Main Authors: Tomasetti, Cristian, Vogelstein, Bert, Parmigiani, Giovanni
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States National Academy of Sciences 05.02.2013; National Acad Sciences
• Subjects: Age of Onset; Aging - genetics; Aging - pathology; Biological Sciences; Cancer; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic - genetics; Cocarcinogenesis; Correlation analysis; Correlations; Crypts; Daughter cells; Female; Genetic mutation; Humans; Linear Models; Male; Mathematical Concepts; Mathematical models; Models, Genetic; Mutation; Neoplasms - etiology; Neoplasms - genetics; Neoplasms - pathology; Neoplastic Stem Cells - pathology; Organ Specificity; Passengers; Physical Sciences; Point mutation; Somatic mutation; Stem cells; Stochastic Processes; Tissues; Tumors

Although it has been hypothesized that some of the somatic mutations found in tumors may occur before tumor initiation, there is little experimental or conceptual data on this topic. To gain insights into this fundamental issue, we formulated a mathematical model for the evolution of somatic mutatio...