Lecture 28 - Genes and Cancer

Question 1

Genes causing cancer?

Answer 1

oncogenes, tumour supressor genes, genes inolved in apoptosis

Question 2

Functions of Oncogenes?

Answer 2

signal transduction: growth factors, growth factor receptor, intracellular signal transmission, nuclear transcription factors

Question 3

Key factors in transforming normal cell to neoplastic?

Answer 3

increase cell proliferation, block normal cell differentiation

Question 4

Activating oncogenes?

Answer 4

proto-oncogene activation, over expression of proto-oncogene, point mutation, chromosome translocation

Question 5

Herceptin?

Answer 5

Antibody binds to over expressive Her-2 receptor on breast cancer tissues preventing epidermal growth factor to bind

Question 6

Chromosome Translocations leading to oncogene activation?

Answer 6

form fusion gene which encodes novel protein w increased activity or moving oncogene next to promoting region causing over-expression

Question 7

Tumour Suppressing Genes?

Answer 7

recessive acting, both alleles need be inhibited for tumour to gorw - familial cases have one inhibited already

Question 8

How can genes affect apoptosis?

Answer 8

upregulation of genes encoding for proteins blocking apoptosis, inactivation of genes encoding for proteins mediating apoptosis

Question 9

Personalised Medicine based on cancer genomics?

Answer 9

diagnosis, classification, prognosis, targets, monitoring markers, biomarkers

Question 10

Applications for familial cancers?

Answer 10

predictive/at risk testing, screening to reduce other risk factors