Scientists Solve a Decade-Old Mystery Behind Cancer’s Most Violent DNA Chaos

From SciTechDaily

University of California San Diego scientists have identified the enzyme that drives chromothripsis, a phenomenon in which a single chromosome breaks apart and is stitched back together in a disordered way. This extreme genetic disruption allows cancer cells to adapt quickly and develop resistance to therapy.

Although chromothripsis was first described more than ten years ago and is now recognized as a key force behind cancer progression and treatment failure, its underlying cause had remained unknown. By uncovering what initiates this process, UC San Diego researchers have resolved a major unanswered question in cancer biology and revealed new opportunities for targeting the most aggressive tumors. The study was published in Science.