The Aneuploidy Paradox in Cell Growth and Tumorigenesis

Aneuploidy, an abnormal chromosome number, is a frequent characteristic of malignant cells, leading to the suggestion that aneuploidy drives tumorigenesis. In a recent issue of Science, Williams et al. identified a paradoxical relationship between aneuploidy and its linkage to tumorigenesis: chromosome gains in nontransformed cells are antiproliferative, despite frequently occurring in human tumors.