Integrating germline and somatic data towards a personalized cancer medicine

In recent years there have been major advances in the knowledge of the genetic alterations that drive cancer susceptibility and progression. However, the molecular links between these alteration levels (i.e., germline for susceptibility and somatic for progression) remain mostly unknown. Here, the potential of integrating germline and somatic data for a comprehensive and personalized cancer medicine is discussed. In recent years there have been major advances in the knowledge of the genetic alterations that drive cancer susceptibility and progression. However, the molecular links between these alteration levels (i.e., germline for susceptibility and somatic for progression) remain mostly unknown. Here, the potential of integrating germline and somatic data for a comprehensive and personalized cancer medicine is discussed.