Volume 12 Issue 3, March 2012

Two new studies provide mechanistic insights into the phenomenon of chromothripsis in cancer.

In order to proliferate, cells with oncogenic mutations might first need to escape the restrictions of the epithelial environment.

Inhibitors that target the interaction between menin and MLL could be useful for the treatment of acute lymphocytic leukaemia.

Prives and colleagues show that two p53 mutants exhibit oncogenic functions such that they increase the expression of the mevalonate pathway, which causes altered morphology of mammary acini.

Data from patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) indicate that angiogenesis inhibitors may not increase the delivery of chemotherapy.

Two new studies identify mutations in histone variants in high-grade paediatric gliomas

Data that support a link between pericyte loss and metastasis have been published inCancer Cell.

This Review reflects on the recent disappointing initial results from Phase III trials of insulin-like growth factor I receptor (IGF1R)-specific antibodies for cancer treatment, and discusses the next steps in targeting insulin and IGFI signalling in cancer therapy.

There are many connections between wound healing and tumorigenesis. Using the epidermis as an example, this Review discusses these connections and how stem cells affect these two processes.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are ligand-activated transcription factors that are involved in regulating glucose and lipid homeostasis, inflammation, proliferation and differentiation. This Review discusses the roles of PPARs in cancer and focuses on PPARβ/δ and the controversies yet to be resolved.

Aberrant nuclear morphology is already used as a diagnostic criterion for cancer, but why is the nucleus deformed in cancer cells? This Review discusses how components of the nuclear envelope and the adjoining lamina are deregulated in cancer cells and the consequences of this change in cell morphology.

Tumours often engage the lymphatic system to invade and metastasize. This Opinion article proposes that increased interstitial and lymphatic flow in the tumour microenvironment, and the resulting mechanical changes to the tumour stroma, may strongly alter host immunity to the tumour.

The RB family is usually associated with the regulation of the G1/S transition and cell cycle entry. Recent data have shown a role for the RB family in regulating S phase and mitosis, which has implications for the genomic stability of tumour cells in which the RB family is inactivated.