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Research over the past decades has firmly established the genetic basis of cancer. In particular, studies on animal tumour viruses and chromosome rearrangements in human tumours have concurred to identify so-called ‘proto-oncogenes’ and ‘tumour suppressor genes’, whose deregulation promotes carcinogenesis. These important findings not only explain the occurrence of certain hereditary tumours, but they also set the stage for the development of anti-cancer drugs that specifically target activated oncogenes. However, in spite of tremendous progress towards the elucidation of key signalling pathways involved in carcinogenesis, most cancers continue to elude currently available therapies. This stands as a reminder that “cancer” is an extraordinarily complex disease: although some cancers of the haematopoietic system show only a limited number of characteristic chromosomal aberrations, most solid tumours display a myriad of genetic changes and considerable genetic heterogeneity. This is thought to reflect a trait commonly referred to as ‘genome instability’, so that no two cancers are ever likely to display the exact same genetic alterations. Numerical and structural chromosome aberrations were recognised as a hallmark of human tumours for more than a century. Yet, the causes and consequences of these aberrations still remain to be fully understood. In particular, the question of how genome instability impacts on the development of human cancers continues to evoke intense debate. |
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Advanced Negotiation Techniques
Advanced Negotiation Techniques provides a wealth of material in a winning combination of practical experience and good research to give you a series of tools, techniques, and real-life examples to help you achieve your negotiation... | | Universal Serial Bus System Architecture (PC System Architecture Series)Universal Serial Bus System Architecture provides an in-depth discussion of USB and is based on the 1.0 version of the Universal Serial Bus specification. It focuses on the USB protocol, signaling environment, and electrical specifications, along with the hardware/software interaction required to configure and access USB devices. Although this... | | Network Processor Design, Volume 2: Issues and Practices, Volume 2Responding to ever-escalating requirements for performance, flexibility, and economy, the networking industry has opted to build products around network processors. To help meet the formidable challenges of this emerging field, the editors of this volume created the first Workshop on Network Processors, a forum for scientists and engineers to... |
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