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Genetic and epigenetic alterations as hallmarks of the intricate road to cancer

Oncogene volume 22, pages 6472–6478 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

Despite the clonal origin of most tumors, their tremendous heterogeneity suggests that cancer progression springs from the combined forces of both genetic and epigenetic events, which produce variant clonal populations, together with the selective pressures of the microenvironment, which promote growth and, perhaps, dissemination of variants with a specific set of characteristics. Although the importance of genetic mutations in cancer has long been recognized, the role of epigenetic events has been suggested more recently. This review focuses on the genetic and epigenetic molecular mechanisms involved in cancer onset and progression, and discusses the possibility of new strategies in the development of anticancer treatments.

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Acknowledgements

Research in our laboratories was supported by NIH grants and Sbarro Health Research Organization funds to AG and Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro (AIRC) and Ministero della Salute grants to MGP.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Marcella Macaluso, Marco G Paggi & Antonio Giordano

  2. Department of Oncology Section of Molecular Oncology, Regional Reference Center for the Biomolecular Characterization of Neoplasm and Genetic Screening of Hereditary Tumors, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy

    Marcella Macaluso

  3. Regina Elena Cancer Institute, Center for Experimental Research, Rome, Italy

    Marco G Paggi

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Correspondence to Antonio Giordano.

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Macaluso, M., Paggi, M. & Giordano, A. Genetic and epigenetic alterations as hallmarks of the intricate road to cancer. Oncogene 22, 6472–6478 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.onc.1206955

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