TY - JOUR AU - Roschke, Anna AU - Rozenblum, Ester PY - 2013 M3 - Review TI - Multi-Layered Cancer Chromosomal Instability Phenotype JO - Frontiers in Oncology UR - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2013.00302 VL - 3 SN - 2234-943X N2 - Whole-chromosomal instability (W-CIN) – unequal chromosome distribution during cell division – is a characteristic feature of a majority of cancer cells distinguishing them from their normal counterparts. The precise molecular mechanisms that may cause mis-segregation of chromosomes in tumor cells just recently became more evident. The consequences of W-CIN are numerous and play a critical role in carcinogenesis. W-CIN mediates evolution of cancer cell population under selective pressure and can facilitate the accumulation of genetic changes that promote malignancy. It has both tumor-promoting and tumor-suppressive effects, and their balance could be beneficial or detrimental for carcinogenesis. The characterization of W-CIN as a complex multi-layered adaptive phenotype highlights the intra- and extracellular adaptations to the consequences of genome reshuffling. It also provides a framework for targeting aggressive chromosomally unstable cancers. ER -