tumor phylogeny
Pronunciation: fy-LOJ-en-ee
The evolutionary tree reconstruction showing the temporal sequence of mutations and clonal relationships within a tumor's development.
Full Definition
Tumor phylogeny refers to the reconstruction of evolutionary relationships between different clonal populations within a tumor, representing how the cancer evolved from its initial transformed cell through various stages of progression. This analysis uses computational methods to infer the temporal order of mutations and identify clonal and subclonal populations based on variant allele frequencies and copy number profiles. Phylogenetic reconstruction helps understand tumor progression, predict therapeutic resistance, and identify early versus late mutational events. The resulting phylogenetic trees provide insights into tumor biology and can inform treatment strategies by revealing the clonal architecture underlying tumor heterogeneity.
Usage
Usage note: Distinguish from simple clonal evolution; emphasize tree-like representation.
In Context
- "The tumor phylogeny revealed early acquisition of TP53 mutations followed by later KRAS alterations." — Molecular evolution analysis
- "Phylogenetic reconstruction identified three major clonal branches in the primary tumor." — Cancer genomics report