Cancer Pathology & Genetics
Cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. However, not all tumors are cancerous—benign tumors do not metastasize. A neoplasm refers to an abnormal growth of tissue, which may form a mass or lump commonly referred to as a tumor. Gene mutations that disrupt cellular signaling pathways are frequently observed in cancer and are often shared across tumors arising in different parts of the body. Advances in molecular analysis tools and DNA sequencing technologies are accelerating the identification of somatic mutations that drive cancer development and progression.