"Attack of the Clones": Commonalities Between Cancer and Atherosclerosis.

DiRenzo, Daniel; Owens, Gary K; Leeper, Nicholas J · Circ Res · 2017

review · Level V

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Abstract

Many studies have noted similarities between atherosclerosis and cancer including pronounced cellular plasticity, clonal expansion of cellular subtypes, increased DNA mutations, defective efferocytosis pathways, and an important role for proto-oncogenes in disease development. Although it is clear that these 2 diseases have disparate causes, noting the parallels between atherosclerosis and cancer may help us identify unique, targeted therapeutic strategies.

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