title: Cancer and forensic microsatellites.
abstract: Although not directly related, circumstances do occur in forensic investigations whereby cancer studies and forensic science cross paths. This review takes a look at the circumstances under which this may occur, and investigates some potential problems that can arise when tumor tissue is submitted for DNA profile analysis. A background to the underlying molecular biology of tumors is described, highlighting the genetic instabilities that are observed in DNA sequences of similar or identical primary structure to the short tandem repeat markers used in forensic DNA profiling kits.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cancer Studies and Molecular Medicine, University of Leicester, Robert Kilpatrick Building, Leicester Royal Infirmary, Leicester, LE2 7LX, UK.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Page
authors.forename: Eleanor A M
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Graham
mesh_terms: D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006801:Humans; D019656:Loss of Heterozygosity; D053842:Microsatellite Instability; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D005819:Genetic Markers