Abstract IA2: Cancer genomes and their implications for basic and applied research

Abstract Human cancer is, in essence, a genetic disease. Though this pivotal fact has been established over the past three decades, only recently has the compendium of genetic alterations in tumors been identified at a genome-wide scale. The basic landscapes of cancer genomes are becoming clear and the implications of this research are evident. These landscapes are populated by a few “mountains” – genes that are mutated at high frequency in specific tumor types – but are dominated by hills, representing genes that are mutated in only a relatively small fraction of the tumors. The vast majority of genetic alterations are point mutations, and most of these are passengers, i.e., provide no selective growth advantage to the tumor cell. Moreover, virtually all of the driver mutations in common solid tumors are in tumor suppressor genes rather than in oncogenes. All the bona fide cancer genes identified to date affect one or more of a dozen pathways that are central to neoplasia. Appreciation of this landscape has profound implications for both understanding the disease and managing patients with cancer. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Second AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Basic Cancer Research; 2011 Sep 14-18; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(18 Suppl):Abstract nr IA2.