title: Aurea mediocritas: the importance of a balanced genome.
abstract: Aneuploidy, defined as an abnormal number of chromosomes, is a hallmark of cancer. Paradoxically, aneuploidy generally has a negative impact on cell growth and fitness in nontransformed cells. In this work, we review recent progress in identifying how aneuploidy leads to genomic and chromosomal instability, how cells can adapt to the deleterious effects of aneuploidy, and how aneuploidy contributes to tumorigenesis in different genetic contexts. Finally, we also discuss how aneuploidy might be a target for anticancer therapies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02115 Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115.
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Varetti
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02115 Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115 Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland 20815-6789.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pellman
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02115.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Gordon
mesh_terms: D000782:Aneuploidy; D063646:Carcinogenesis / Q000235:genetics; D002842:Chromatids / Q000378:metabolism; D043171:Chromosomal Instability; D016678:Genome; D059566:M Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics