Into the eye of the storm: breast cancer’s somatic mutation landscape points to DNA damage and repair

Distinguishing the handful of somatic mutations expected to initiate and maintain cancer growth, so-called driver mutations, from mutations that play no role in cancer development, passenger mutations, remains a major hurdle for understanding the mechanisms of cancer and the design of more effective treatments. Recognizing this, National Cancer Institute’s “Provocative Questions” Project (1) specifically highlights the urgent need to better discriminate between driver and passenger events as a key research priority.