Abstract
Cancers evolve by a reiterative process of clonal expansion, genetic diversification and clonal selection within the adaptive landscapes of tissue ecosystems. The dynamics are complex, with highly variable patterns of genetic diversity and resulting clonal architecture. Therapeutic intervention may destroy cancer clones and erode their habitats, but it can also inadvertently provide a potent selective pressure for the expansion of resistant variants. The inherently Darwinian character of cancer is the primary reason for this therapeutic failure, but it may also hold the key to more effective control.
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Acknowledgements
The research of M.G. is supported by Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research UK and The Kay Kendall Leukaemia Fund. The research of C.M. is supported by Research Scholar Grant #117209-RSG-09-163-01-CNE from the American Cancer Society and NIH grants P01 CA91955, U54 CA143803, R01 CA149566 and R01 CA140657. The authors thank C.Cooper and J.Clark for the use of the image in Fig. 4.
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Greaves, M., Maley, C. Clonal evolution in cancer. Nature 481, 306–313 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature10762
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nature10762
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