Single cell sequencing: A new dimension in cancer diagnosis and treatment

Abstract

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and well known for its complexity. Cancer cells within the same tumor or from different tumors are highly heterogeneous. Furthermore, stromal and immune cells within tumor microenvironment interact with cancer cells to play important roles in how tumors progress and respond to different treatments. Recent advances in single cell technologies, especially massively parallel single cell sequencing, have made it possible to analyze cancer cells and cells in its tumor microenvironment in parallel with unprecedented high resolution. In this chapter, we will review recent developments in single cell sequencing technologies and their applications in cancer research. We will also explain how insights generated from single cell sequencing can be used to develop novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to conquer cancer.