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Cancer genomics

Switching on cancer survival mechanisms

Nature Reviews Cancer volume 23, page 192 (2023)Cite this article

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To escape proliferative arrest, cancer cells must protect against the telomere shortening that accompanies DNA replication. Approximately 10% of cancer cells use a recombination-dependent pathway known as alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) for maintaining telomere length. However, the mechanism that leads to the activation of the ALT pathway remains largely unknown.

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References

Original article

  • Turkalo, T. K. et al. A non-genetic switch triggers alternative telomere lengthening and cellular immortalization in ATRX deficient cells. Nat. Commun. 14, 939 (2023)

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Related article

  • Gao, J. & Pickett, H. A. Targeting telomeres: advances in telomere maintenance mechanism-specific cancer therapies. Nat. Rev. Cancer 22, 515–532 (2022)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

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  1. Nature Reviews Cancer http://www.nature.com/nrc/

    Michael Attwaters

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  1. Michael Attwaters
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Correspondence to Michael Attwaters.

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Attwaters, M. Switching on cancer survival mechanisms. Nat Rev Cancer 23, 192 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41568-023-00558-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41568-023-00558-6

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