Stanford's Cancer Breakthrough: Targeting Rogue ecDNA Defies Mendel's Law

Stanford Medicine researchers have discovered that extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA), previously considered insignificant, plays a crucial role in cancer development. Their studies reveal that ecDNA is present in 17.1% of tumors and can drive cancer growth by containing oncogenes and immune-modulating genes. This challenges Mendel's law of independent assortment, as ecDNA can be inherited together, enhancing cancer cell survival. The research also identifies a potential cancer therapy targeting ecDNA, with a CHK1 inhibitor currently in clinical trials.