Most cancer genome studies have focused on mutations in the tumor itself and how such gene variants allow a tumor to grow unchecked. A study led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis takes a deep dive into inherited cancer mutations measured in a healthy blood sample and reports how those mutations might take a toll on the body’s cells starting at birth, perhaps predisposing a person to develop cancers at various stages of life.
Throughout my career as a physician and scientist, I’ve seen ideas once considered impossible become breakthroughs that save lives. They happened because talented scientists had the resources, institutions, and sustained support to pursue ambitious ideas. Most importantly, they knew patients could not afford to wait.
