Relapsed childhood cancers show genomic scars left by previous therapy

TL;DR - Whole-genome sequencing reveals that childhood cancer therapies, particularly platinum-based treatments, can rapidly leave distinctive DNA-damage patterns in relapsed tumors. These signatures correlate with worse outcomes and could help monitor relapse and inform treatment.

• The study analyzed hundreds of childhood tumors, emphasizing pretreated, relapsed, and metastatic samples.
• Previous therapies were associated with rapid acquisition of characteristic mutational signatures.
• Platinum-based treatments produced especially notable genomic scars.
• Therapy-linked signatures could serve as biomarkers for relapse tracking and clinical decisions.