Abstract

Therapy-related cancers, defined as second primary cancers that arise as a consequence of chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy, are unusual in that they have a well-defined aetiology. Knowledge of the specific nature of the initiating exposure and exactly when it occurred has made it easier to identify crucial genetic events and to model these in vitro and in vivo. As such, the study of therapy-related cancers has led to the elucidation of discrete mechanisms of carcinogenesis, including DNA double-strand-break-induced gene translocation and genomic instability conferred by loss of DNA repair. Unsurprisingly, some of these mechanisms seem to operate in the development of sporadic cancers.

Author affiliations

1. Epidemiology and Genetics Unit, Department of Biology, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5YW, UK.
2. Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, 6120 Executive boulevard, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7238, USA.

Correspondence to: James M. Allan¹ Email: Jim.Allan@egu.york.ac.uk

Published online 18 November 2005

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