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Systems Biology of Cancer

With over 200 types of cancer diagnosed to date, researchers the world over have been forced to rapidly update their understanding of the biology of cancer. In fact, only the study of the basic cellular processes, and how these are altered in cancer cells, can ultimately provide a background for rational therapies. Bringing together the state-of-the-art contributions of international experts, Systems Biology of Cancer proposes an ultimate research goal for the whole scientific community: exploiting systems biology to generate in-depth knowledge based on blueprints that are unique to each type of cancer. Readers are provided with a realistic view of what is known and what is yet to be uncovered on the aberrations in the fundamental biological processes, deregulation of major signaling networks, alterations in major cancers and the strategies for using the scientific knowledge for effective diagnosis, prognosis and drug discovery to improve public health.

Online Cambridge Core

Bench 15 panel 7

Images from Shimon, Clarke, et al, Cell journal, August 7, 2009 ; We found thirty-seven microRNAs that were differentially expressed between normal breast stem cells and differentiated breast duct cells. We found that there is a molecular link that connects normal stem cells with cancer cells. Mike Clarke ; Normal breast ducts derived from normal stem cells. Also visible are the different cell types stem cells give rise to. ; To achieve homeostasis, normal stem cells must undergo a large number of mitoses and be able to migrate to many regions of an organ. Both of these properties are reminiscent of two hallmark properties of cancer cells, immortality and invasion. ; Ducts and tumors derived from breast cancer stem cells. They have the same cell types, but it's a very disorganized structure Mike Clarke ; I come to Stanford to study the breast cancer stem cell to understand better the patients I treat. We analyze these cancer stem cells by isolating them from the cancer mass. We compare them to other cells so we can identify the specific character of the cancer stem cells. Normal breast cells contain stem cells and differentiated cells. We want to identify the molecular differences between the two. Yohei Shimono

Molecular foundations of oncology [print]