The genomic landscapes of human breast and colorectal cancers.

• Human cancer is caused by the accumulation of mutations in oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. To catalog the genetic changes that occur during tumorigenesis, we isolated DNA from 11 breast and 11 colorectal tumors and determined the sequences of the genes in the Reference Sequence database in these samples. Based on analysis of exons representing 20,857 transcripts from 18,191 genes, we conclude that the genomic landscapes of breast and colorectal cancers are composed of a handful of commonly mutated gene "mountains" and a much larger number of gene "hills" that are mutated at low frequency. We describe statistical and bioinformatic tools that may help identify mutations with a role in tumorigenesis. These results have implications for understanding the nature and heterogeneity of human cancers and for using personal genomics for tumor diagnosis and therapy.

Keyword

Animals

Breast Neoplasms/*genetics/metabolism

Cell Line

Chromosome Mapping

Colorectal Neoplasms/*genetics/metabolism

Computational Biology

DNA; Neoplasm

Databases; Genetic

Genes; Neoplasm

Genome; Human

Humans

Metabolic Networks and Pathways/genetics

Mice

Mutation

Neoplasm Proteins/genetics/metabolism

Sequence Analysis; DNA

MEDICINE

MEDICIN

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)