Major complications in understanding the genetic basis of cancer Multiple mutations are necessary to produce a tumor cell Different types of tumor have different genes mutated Early initiating events occur rarely in complex tissues and are therefore extremely difficult to detect The key initiating event often leads to an increase in mutation rate thus tumor cells often bear many fortuitous mutations Important aspects of the disease we wont discuss relate to the spread of cancer cells and the formation of large tumors (metastasis and angiogenesis)Major complications in understanding the genetic basis of cancer • Multiple mutations are necessary to produce a tumor cell • Different types of tumor have different genes mutated • Early initiating events occur rarely in complex tissues and are therefore extremely difficult to detect • The key initiating event often leads to an increase in mutation rate thus tumor cells often bear many fortuitous mutations Important aspects of the disease we won't discuss relate to the spread of cancer cells and the formation of large tumors (metastasis and angiogenesis)