After more than 15 years of trying, researchers have managed to convert normal human cells into tumour cells in a culture dish. This achievement should help identify new players in tumour formation, and develop treatments that target them. We know that the pathway to tumour formation is a multi-step journey involving the accumulation of genetic alterations along the way. We also know much about the cellular hurdles on this road, and the mutations that allow tumour cells to overcome them. But do we know enough about cancer to allow us to convert normal human cells into fully fledged tumour cells in a culture dish? We do now. Reporting on page 464 of this issue, researchers in Robert Weinberg's laboratory have combined all that we have learned to effectively turn human cells into tumour cells in the laboratory. They set out to determine the minimum number of defined genetic events required for tumour formation, and have brought an end to an endeavour that began more than 15 years ago.
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