title: The role of genetic diversity in cancer.
abstract: The role of genetic heterogeneity within neoplasms is increasingly recognized as important for understanding the dynamics of cancer progression, cancer stem cells, and therapeutic resistance, and there is interest in intratumoral heterogeneity measurements as potential biomarkers for risk stratification. In this issue of the JCI, Park et al. characterize this genetic diversity in carcinoma in situ and in invasive regions from 3 types of human breast cancers and lay the groundwork for translation of these measures to the clinic.
authors.affiliation: Molecular and Cellular Oncogenesis Program, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Lauren M F
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Merlo
authors.forename: Carlo C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Maley
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000235:genetics; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000473:pathology; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000235:genetics