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Figure 3 | Cancer Cell International

Figure 3

From: Cancer genomic research at the crossroads: realizing the changing genetic landscape as intratumoral spatial and temporal heterogeneity becomes a confounding factor

Figure 3

Effects of non-cancer genetic background (cancer microenvironment) on cancer initiation and progression. Certain patients (5% of population, e.g., Li-Fraumeni syndrome, p53, Retinoblastoma) always acquire cancer and certain patients (5% of population are cancer-free) exclude cancer. The rest 90% of population can undergo either cancer initiation or cancer-free depending on their non-genetic background because oncogenic mutation (cancer variant carriers) may not be sufficient to drive cancer initiation. The non-genetic background determines that certain patients are susceptible to cancer risk factors such as smoking, HPV, UV, food addiction, heavy metals, free radicals; these risk factors may initiate cancer for vulnerable patients. Management of these risk factors (related non-cancer genetic background) may either promote cancer or suppress cancer initiation – whole genome sequencing can help predict these risk factors thereby preventing cancer – the prevention can benefit the rest 90% population.

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Cancer Cell International

ISSN: 1475-2867

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