Opinion in 2013

There is much concern in the literature over the lack of reproducibility of many scientific reports. In this Perspective, the authors discuss how cognitive biases in research and flaws in the academic incentive system also contribute to the publication of immature results. The authors suggest some changes to the grant submission and funding system that could further improve the reproducibility of research findings.

In this Perspectives article, the authors propose that lower histological grade in breast cancer might be a hallmark of relative chromosomal stability, which in turn might be predictive of additional benefit from taxane-based chemotherapy in women with oestrogen-receptor-positive cancer. They interpret published data to on the relationships between tumour grade, chromosomal instability and intratumour heterogeneity and discuss the potential use of chromosomal instability to tailor therapy.

The majority of patients with cancer do not die as a result of the primary tumour, rather from the metastases that arise from that tumour. The mechanisms and markers of metastasis have, therefore, been a main focus of both clinical and preclinical research. This Perspectives article discusses the hurdles that need to be overcome to successfully translate the preclinical metastasis research into the clinic.