cancer as a genetic disease Flashcards
mutations in cancer: explain the difference between somatic and germline mutations, and between driver and passenger mutations; summarise the evidence about the number of mutations of different types found in cancer cells
1
Q
somatic mutation
A
mutation affecting body cells during the lifetime
2
Q
germline mutation
A
mutation affecting reproductive germ cells
3
Q
driver mutation
A
mutation within a gene that confers a selective growth advantage, promoting cancer development
4
Q
passenger mutation
A
mutation within a gene that does not confer a selective growth advantage
5
Q
main cause of cancers
A
new mutations in somatic tissue
6
Q
mutation definition
A
any heritable change in DNA sequence
7
Q
polymorphism definition
A
mutation in >1% population
