Telomere shortening and loss of telomere protection can have a tumour-suppressive effect by mediating proliferation arrest. Ultimately, however, these processes can cause a state of extensive genome instability known as telomere crisis, which can facilitate tumorigenesis by causing oncogenic chromosomal rearrangements, including chromothripsis, kataegis and tetraploidization.
- John Maciejowski
- Titia de Lange
