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The multi-hit model of cancer is a way to outline the progression of cancer as the accumulation of mutations in the genome of cells. For example, a single cell may accumulate a genomic mutation through any well-known mutagen but may still be successful in completing the cell cycle. The daughter cells of this cell will contain this mutation in their genome. If these cells in turn accumulate another mutation, they now have 2 and will pass these on to their cell cycle progeny. Accumulation of mutations in a stepwise fashion has been seen in the progresion of cancer from benign to malignant to metastasis. Doctors and surgeons have isolated the tissues in various stages of cancer and have analyzed the genome of these cells. Much data has supported the multi-hit model of cancer. In essence, each mutation to a cell generation's genome is a "hit" and the accumulation of hits is what creates the tumor potential of the dividing progeny.

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17y ago

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