Genetics of Colon and Breast Cancer

Question 1

Which one of the following descriptions is not how the MYCC gene can be calssified?
A. germ line mutations in this gene causes a familial cancer syndrome
B. It is a proto-oncogene
C. It is a transcription factor
D. It is implicated in the pathogenesis of a number of lymphoreticular cancers

Answer 1

A. germ line mutations in this gene causes a familial cancer syndrome

Question 2

Thr progression of cells from normal tissue to metastatic cells:
A. is cell autonomous
B. is cell non-autonomous
C. is typically attributable to the activation of a single oncogene
D. typically involves alterations in the structure and function of multiple genes
E. usually involves only gain of function and rarely loss of function mutations

Answer 2

D. typically involves alterations in the structure and function of multiple genes

Question 3

Which one of the following is an observation in telomerase-associated chromosomal instability?
A. activation of a proto-oncogene
B. Dicentric chromosomes
C. Epigenetic dysregulation
D. Inactivation of an apoptotic-promoting gene
E. Reduced mRNA

Answer 3

B. Dicentric chromosomes

This is part of the mutator phenotype of cancer
Such mutator phenotype can be conceptualized into two types:
* propensity towards DNA sequence mutations due to defects in base-excision repair, nucleotide excision repair, or mismatch repair
* propensity towards chromosomal instability such as defects in double strand break repair defects, or telomeric instability. Telomere associated chromosomal instability compounds the risk of transformative events, and demonstrates why the genomes of cancer cells are often highly unstable.

Question 4

What is the gene for colon cancer?

Answer 4

APC

Question 4

Which one of the following is considered an inherited mutator phenotype?
A. CML
B. FAP
C. Familial diffuse gastric cancer syndrome
D. Hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer
E. PTEN hamartoma syndrome

Answer 4

D. Hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer

AKA Lynch syndrome

I think this is probably because it forms many cancers all over the body

Question 5

One of the applications of a cDNA microarray analysis is
A. to assess alteration in expression profile
B. to determine the sequence of DNA
C. to look for chromosomal aneuploidies
D. to “paint” chromsomes
E. to screen genomic DNA for possible mutations

Answer 5

A. to assess alteration in expression profile

Question 6

Which of the following breast cancer predisposition genes has the lowest penetrance?
A. ATM
B. BRCA1
C. BRCA2
D. TP53
E. TSC1

Answer 6

A. ATM

Question 7

Which breast cancer type is best suited for PARP inhibitor therapy?

Answer 7

triple negative breast cancer

Question 8

Which breast cancer type is most likely caused by breast cancer stem cells?

Answer 8

Claudin-low