The evolutionary dynamics of extrachromosomal DNA in human cancers
Hossein Fallahi
October 11, 2022
Oncogene amplification on extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA) is a common event, driving aggressive tumor growth, drug resistance and shorter survival. In a new paper in Nature, Lange et. al. demonstrate that random ecDNA inheritance results in extensive intratumoral ecDNA copy number heterogeneity and rapid adaptation to metabolic stress and targeted treatment.