Cancer is a genetic disease that involves the gradual accumulation of mutations. Human tumours are genetically unstable. However, the current knowledge about the origins and implications of genomic instability in this disease is limited. Understanding the biology of cancer requires the use of animal models. Here, we review relevant studies addressing the implications of genomic instability in cancer by using the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, as a model system. We discuss how this invertebrate has helped us to expand the current knowledge about the mechanisms involved in genomic instability and how this hallmark of cancer influences disease progression.

中文翻译：

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基因组不稳定性和癌症：果蝇的教训。

癌症是一种遗传疾病，涉及突变的逐步积累。人类肿瘤在遗传上是不稳定的。然而，目前关于这种疾病的基因组不稳定性的起源和含义的知识是有限的。了解癌症的生物学需要使用动物模型。在这里，我们通过使用果蝇果蝇（Drosophila melanogaster）作为模型系统，回顾了解决基因组不稳定性在癌症中的影响的相关研究。我们讨论了这种无脊椎动物如何帮助我们扩展了有关基因组不稳定性所涉及的机制的现有知识，以及这种癌症的标志如何影响疾病进展。