Scientists from the International Cancer Genome Consortium have successfully decoded the complete genetic codes of two of the most common types of cancer, Melanoma and lung cancer.
The study found that a typical melanoma contains 30,000 or more genetic code errors, with most resulting from exposure to sunlight. The study also revealed that up to 25,000 errors exist in lung cancer, many of which can be the result of exposure to cigarette smoke. From the article: "... the experts estimate a typical smoker acquires one new mutation for every 15 cigarettes they smoke. "
An idea brought forth in the study is that genetic cataloging of cancers might become routine when they are discovered in a patient. How do you think this might affect histology practices in the future? Could you see genetic scanning and sequencing as a part of the histological examination process?
