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DNA Reveals Cancer's Womb Journey
9 Oct
Summary
- Cancer spread between identical twins via the shared placenta before birth.
- DNA analysis traced the cancer's origin to one twin and its spread to the other.
- The rare case offers new insights into early human development and cancer.
Scientists have reconstructed the journey of a rare cancer that spread between identical twins before birth. By analyzing DNA from tumor and placental samples, researchers traced the disease's origin to one twin. Cancer cells acquired distinct genetic markers before crossing the shared placenta to form tumors in the second baby.
The analysis suggested the tumor developed late in the first trimester and spread to the other twin by the second trimester. This rare case offers unprecedented insights into how cancer develops in early life and how cells can move between twins in the womb. The findings could significantly advance understanding of childhood cancers and early human development.
