Linking Genes and Cancer

Human cells are amazing. They grow and multiply to keep our bodies intact and allow us to respond to environmental changes.

The fascinating process in cell division includes creating a copy of the DNA, then dividing into two daughter cells.Numerous checks are also made to ensure everything is proceeding correctly and the copies produced are accurate.If the DNA is damaged beyond repair,activity is diverted to apoptosis or a programmed death of the cell.

Cancer develops when genes involved, in the cycle malfunctions. Rather than self-destruct,cells with damaged DNA will grow and divide without restraint, eventually invading neighbouring tissues and other body parts where secondary tumors are established.

Cancer is thought of as being primarily an inherited disease. Although all cancers contain a genetic relation, because they are triggered by altered genes, only a small fraction of cancers are actually inherited, that is caused by mutation passes between generations.Most cancers actually occur from random mutations that may occur throughout a person's life. These errors can occur during cell division or from injuries to DNA caused by environmental carcinogens. If mutations strike the right genes,cancerous tumors can develop and progress.

There are three classes of genes that are typically mutated

Oncogene: These normally encourage cell growth, however, when mutated, the cell are flooded with signals that tell it to keep dividing.Tumor-supressor genes, if missing or inactivated, will resulting uncontrolled growth. The BRCA1 and BRCA2 that predispose females for breast and ovarian cancer are examples of malfunctioning genes.DNA repair genes trigger cancer, not by spurring growth, but by failing to correct mistakes that occur in DNA during cell division.

The cells may accumulate thousands of DNA mutations during its lifetime.If these contact critical oncogenes or tumor-suppressor genes, cancer may develop. Most models of cancer development require multiple hits in the multiplication process in order for the growth to be accelerated, the tumor-suppressor genes to be disabled or the DNA integrity checks to be eliminated

One of the difficulties involved in treating cancer, is that genetic changes also help tumors adopt and survive. By rapidly growing and accumulating mutations, tumors are able to elude treatment. Chemotherapy is essentially an evolutionary challenge for a tumor. It can either adapt the drugs that are targeting it or perish. Unfortunately, when a tumor does evade chemotherapy,there are few treatment options and patients face poor prognosis.

To better understand cancer and develop improved therapies, a better understanding of the individual genes responsible for the disease's development and progression, the pathways and networks in which they participate, and the ability to survive chemotherapy must be understood.

Significant advances are being made in genomic technology with DNA testing.

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