A MATTER OF LIFE AND CELL-DEATH

In multicellular organisms, mutations in somatic cells affecting criti cal genes that regulate cell proliferation and survival cause fatal ca ncers. Repair of the damage is one obvious option, although the relati ve inconsequence of individual cells in metazoans means that it is oft en a ''safer'' strategy to ablate the offending cell. Not surprisingly , corruption of the machinery that senses or implements DNA damage gre atly predisposes to cancer. Nonetheless, even when oncogenic mutations do occur, there exist potent mechanisms that Limit the expansion of a ffected cells by suppressing their proliferation or triggering their s uicide. Growing understanding of these innate mechanisms is suggesting novel therapeutic strategies for cancer.