WEEK 13: Genetic Basis For Cancer Flashcards
(15 cards)
What are somatic variants for cancer and what can they result in?
they are acquired mutations that occur in individual cells during a person’s lifetime due to environmental factors/errors in DNA replication
these variants can drive the transformation of normal cells into cancerous ones by disrupting normal cell growth and division
What are germline variants for cancer?
they are inherited genetic mutations in every cell of the body and can predispose individuals to certain types of cancer
they are inherited from one or both parents
What are cancer hallmarks?
a set of distinct traits that collectively enable cancer cells to proliferate uncontrollably and evade normal cellular regulatory mechanisms
what are oncogenes?
when mutated or overexpressed can drive the growth and division of cancer cells
What are tumor suppressor genes
when inactivated, they can fail to regulate uncontrolled cell growth
they normally function to regulate cell cycle progression, repair DNA damage and induce apoptosis
what do cancer-associated genes include?
proto-oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes
What are proto-oncogenes
when mutated or overexpressed, become oncogenes that drive cancer progression by promoting cell growth and division
What is p53 and what is its function
a protein encoded by the TP53 gene, which plays a role in preventing cancer development
it regulates the cell cycle and functions as a transcription factor, activating DNA repair proteins, inducing apoptosis and halting cell division in the presence of DNA damage
What does a mutation in TP53 gene result in?
it is commonly associated with cancers, leading to loss of p53’s regulatory function and uncontrolled cell proliferation
WHat is a driver mutation
genetic alteration that promotes oncogenesis by conferring a selective growth advantage
directly contributes to initiaiton and progression of cancer
typically occurs in oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes
What are passenger mutations
incidental mutations that do not contribute to cancer development, accumulate in the genome as a by product of the high mutation rate in cancer cells.
incidental genetic change that accumulates in cancer cells without contributing to cancer progression
reflect the history of the cancer’s evolution
What does a silent cancer refer to
malignancies that develop and progress without causing noticeable symptoms in their early stages, making them difficult to detect until they have advanced
What are dominant cancers?
they arise from mutations in genes that only require one altered copy to increase cancer risk
What are autosomal recessive cancers?
they necessitate mutations in both copies of a gene, lead to lower incidence as both parents must carry and pass on the mutated gene
What are genomic mutational signatures?
they use the whole exome/ genome sequencing tumor tissue to identify the mutations in a cancer, and classify the type of mutation into patterns
