By comparing the genome sequence of healthy and cancerous cells in 38 people diagnosed with multiple myeloma—an aggressive blood cancer—scientists have created a molecular map of what goes awry in this disease.
The findings, published today in Nature, point to new targets for drug development, and also suggest that some patients will respond to drugs currently being tested for other types of cancers.
The study is also the first published analysis of multiple whole genomes of the same cancer, reflecting continuing advances in sequencing technologies and the ability to analyze whole-genome data.