Oncogene-Induced Senescence and its Role in Tumor Suppression

While senescence has been known for some time as an inevitable result of repeated DNA replication, oncogene-induced senescence (OIS) represents a relatively new phenomenon. OIS, like apoptosis, has emerged to represent a putative barrier to tumorigenesis in many tissues, including the breast. Here we discuss signals that initiate OIS, evidence for its role in tumor suppression, and mechanisms for its evasion in tumorigenesis.