Tumor Initiation and Sex-Dimorphic Tumor Growth in the Drosophila Model

During carcinogenesis, transformed epithelial cells evolve into a malignant neoplasm through a multistep process, acquiring traits that enable them to become tumorigenic and ultimately malignant. Focusing on the initial steps of tumorigenesis—when mutant cells deviate from a well-organized epithelium to undergo neoplastic overgrowth—we use the Drosophila model and have identified specific tissue microenvironments that are particularly prone to tumor formation. In this presentation, I will discuss these intrinsic tissue "tumor hotspots" and the specific features that allow them to become tumorigenic once oncogenic mutations are introduced. I will also highlight the important role of polyploidy in tumor-initiating cells, as well as sex differences in tumor growth.