HG 9 Genes and Cancer

Flashcards on Genes and Cancer

Metastasis

Key characteristic of cancer; ability to spread to other parts of the body.

BRCA Genes

Genes that, when mutated, can lead to uncontrolled cell division and cancer.

Sporadic Cancers

Cancers that occur randomly with no family history, resulting from a buildup of mutations.

Familial Cancers

Cancers with inherited genetic predisposition, useful for identifying cancer-relevant genes and mechanisms.

Loss of Heterozygosity

The mutation of a working gene copy when an individual inherits two different alleles for a gene and this mutation causes malfunction.

Carcinomas

Most common type of cancer, occurring in epithelial cells that line major body cavities and form the structure of organs.

Sarcomas

Develop from connective or supportive tissues (bone, cartilage, fat, muscle).

Leukemias

Develop in blood-forming tissues (bone marrow), causing abnormal blood cell production.

Lymphomas and Myelomas

Begin in immune system cells and tissues (lymph nodes, spleen).

G0 State

Non-dividing state where cells perform their primary functions without dividing.

Apoptosis

Programmed cell death, preventing damaged DNA from being passed on to daughter cells.

Tumor Suppressor Genes

Genes that work to decrease or stop cell division, preventing cancer formation.

Proto-oncogenes

Genes that initiate and maintain cell division; when constantly switched on in cancer cells, they become oncogenes.

P53 Tumor Suppressor Gene

Under normal circumstances, it functions at the G1S checkpoint. If DNA damage is detected, a reporter molecule activates it, which activates a CDK inhibitor protein.

CDK Inhibitor

Binds to proteins responsible for continuing the cell cycle and stops them from working, pausing the cell cycle.

Retinoblastoma

A cancerous tumor affecting the retinal cells, leading to overgrowth and blindness.

RB1 Gene

Encodes the PRB protein, which regulates the cell cycle at the G1S checkpoint.

PRB Protein

Binds to the E2F transcription factor preventing E2F from binding to the promoters of cell cycle-inducing genes, pausing cell division.

RAS Family of Proto-oncogenes

Mutated in over 40% of human cancers; encodes proteins involved in signal transduction, relaying growth signals to initiate cell division.

Genomic Instability

Hallmark of cancer characterized by loss or addition of chromosomes, duplications, deletions, translocations, and other changes.

BRCA1 and BRCA2 Genes

They encode proteins that work on damaged DNA to repair it; they act in concert with cell cycle checkpoint controls to detect and mend damaged DNA

Microsatellites

Regions of highly repetitive DNA. They consist of tandem repeats of DNA segments, typically 2-6 base pairs in size.

Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML)

Results from a translocation between the long arms of chromosome 9 and chromosome 22, forming the Philadelphia chromosome.

Hybrid Gene

The translocation fuses part of the BCR gene with part of the ABL1 gene, creating a hybrid gene.

Chemotherapy

The use of anti-cancer drugs to destroy cancer cells.

Radiation Therapy

Uses X-rays to destroy or injure cancer cells so they cannot multiply.

Hormone Therapy

Uses synthetic hormones to block the effect of the body's natural hormones.

Immunotherapy

Assists the body's immune system to ght cancer.

Targeted Therapy

A drug treatment that targets speci c features of cancer cells to stop the cancer from growing and spreading.

Small Molecule Inhibitors

Drugs that can enter cancer cells and block certain enzymes and proteins that signal the cells to grow.

Monoclonal Antibodies

Created in the lab, speci cally targeted forms of the body's immune system which Lock onto a protein on the surface of cancer cells, interfering with their survival or growth.

Gleevec

A drug used to treat patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).

Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

Linked to cervical cancer.