lecture 18 - cancer mutations Flashcards
What are cancer cells?
Cells that no longer responses to signals that control cell growth and death, so divide abnormally
How are cancer cells formed?
The accumulation of mutations, mostly rising during DNA replication
Why does cancer incidence increase with age?
The more times a cell divides over time, the more likely it is to gain a cancerous mutation
What are the 2 types of genes that causes cancer when mutated?
Tumour suppressor genes and oncogenes
What is the normal function of tumour suppressor genes?
Encode proteins that prevent in controlled cell growth, by inhibiting cell division and using enzymes to repair DNA to prevent mutation
Do recessive or dominant mutations to tumor suppressor genes cause cancer?
Recessive mutations - loss of function, mutations that decrease gene activity
What is the normal function of oncogenes?
Encode proteins that promote cell growth in a controlled way by producing proteins that promote cell division.
Do recessive or dominant mutations to oncogenes cause cancer?
Dominant - gain of function, mutations that increase gene activity
What is chronic myeloid leukaemia?
A group of blood cancers that originate in the bone marrow and result in abnormal blood cells
What mutations cause Chronic Myeloid Leukemia?
Both an oncogene (BCR-ABL) and tumor suppressor gene (RB) mutation must be present to cause cancer.
What are the 4 types of cancer treatment?
Surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy
What is chemotherapy?
Using drugs that target dividing cells, as cancer cells divide and grow rapidly. But also affects normal cells
What is targeted therapy as a cancer treatment?
Drugs that target changes in cancer cells that allow them to grow and divide
