Overview
Cancer genetics and genomics is the study of how inherited and acquired changes in DNA contribute to the development, progression, and behavior of cancer. It examines mutations, gene expression patterns, and other molecular alterations that drive oncogenesis, and applies this knowledge to diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. Advances in high-throughput molecular techniques, genetic expression microarrays, and preclinical models have deepened understanding of the molecular features underlying tumor formation and have made molecular markers a valuable clinical tool. In cancers such as thyroid cancer, where prevalence has risen partly through overdiagnosis of differentiated tumors, molecular markers help distinguish benign from malignant lesions, assess prognosis and recurrence risk, and identify novel therapeutic targets. Key aspects of the field include characterizing driver mutations, understanding signaling pathways, applying genomic profiling to guide personalized management, and translating molecular insights into actionable clinical decisions. This area sits at the intersection of molecular biology, pathology, and clinical oncology. Related open-access peer-reviewed research on molecular diagnosis in clinical management of thyroid cancer is available in this journal's archive.