Why do books on Genetics talk about Cancer? What is their connection?

Answer 1

cancer is caused by cells that cannot stop dividing. there is something wrong with the signal to stop cell growth within parts of the body during mitosis. These signals are normally controlled by specific genes.

plus, some types of cancers have been known to be genetically linked.

Answer 2

From what I understand genetics and cancer can be related. Two prime examples of cancers that can be genetic are Breast Cancer and Melanoma. I was told by my Dr that it is passed down in a genetic mutation - which means you are genetically predisposed to be at a higher risk of developing that particular cancer. I am a survivor of one of those cancers and was also advised there is now a blood test they can do on my children to confirm if they have the gene "mutation" or "disposition" that will make them at a much higher risk than other people. That is the way I understand this.
Hope this helps
Have a great day

Answer 3

Cancer is a genetic disease, but not a hereditary disease. The two statements are completely different. A hereditary disease is one that is passed down through generations by a flawed gene. Although in some rare instances, such as retinoblastoma, cancer is hereditary, this is not the normal, rather the exception.

Most cancers are not hereditary, although for certain cancers, like breast cancer, there may be a hereditary component to the disease. It is not fully clear, but it is clear that all cancers are genetic. This means they result from the unnatural function of one or more genes.

Cancer forms when genes within a normal cell are damaged and/or mutated. Mutations can occur for many reasons. Cigarette smoke contains chemicals that will damage DNA. Solar radiation from the sun contains ultraviolet rays that will damage DNA. In most instances, the DNA damage will not lead to cancer or other diseases. In some cases, however, the damaged DNA does lead to cancer. There are about 25,000 genes in each human cell. In most cases, though, a mutation in a gene will not lead to cancer. It is only when mutations occur in certain key genes that cancer develops. These key genes can be sorted in three diferent groups.

Growth promoting genes, called proto-oncogenes, that normally tell the cell when to grow and divide.

Growth inhibiting genes, called tumor suppressor genes, whose normal function is to maintain the cell in a non-dividing state.

Genes whose function is to repair damaged DNA, called DNA repair genes.

Answer 4

Cancer is basically the mutation of cells when they reproduce (i.e. DNA splits and the replacement/copying process pulls a Microsoft). Since the same genes are passed on, some forms of cancer have a higher chance of being passed on based on the genetic codes of the parent. If their genetic codes are compromised, then their children's also might be.

Answer 5

Cancer is produced because of some defects in genes. That is a MUST for any cancer causation,.. all that cigarette smoking and other things known to cause cancer cause it by producing abberations only.

A single cell forms a whole human being no?
There is a very delicate balance of growth thats maintained by many of our genes. this gets disrupted to cause uncontrolled growth of many cells forming cancer

Answer 6

cancer is the state when the cells in ur body forget that they have to divide only to a certain limit ie.they go on dividing. now, since the blueprint of all the body's information lies in the DNA ie. in the genes,it is the abnormal genes that r causing cancer ,. hence it is quite appropriate to study cancer under genetics

Answer 7

Cancer usually only occurs after an accumulation of several mutations inside of a cell.
These mutations are changes in DNA, and DNA is the basis for genetics and heredity.
It is the DNA that is inherited (genetics = the study of heredity) and sometimes these mutated genes or prediosposition for mutated genes can be inherited, hence linking cancer to genetics.

Cancer is a disease of genes gone awry. Genes that control the orderly replication of cells become damaged, allowing the cell to reproduce without restraint and eventually to spread into neighboring tissues and set up growths throughout the body.

All cancer is genetic, in that it is triggered by altered genes. However, just a small portion of cancer is inherited: a mutation carried in reproductive cells, passed on from one generation to the next, and present in cells throughout the body. Most cancers come from random mutations that develop in body cells during one's lifetime - either as a mistake when cells are going through cell division or in response to injuries from environmental agents such as radiation or chemicals.

Cancer usually arises in a single cell. The cell's progress from normal to malignant to metastatic appears to follow a series of distinct steps, each one controlled by a different gene or set of genes. Several types of genes have been implicated. Oncogenes normally encourage cell growth; when mutated or overexpressed, they can flood cells with signals to keep on dividing.
Tumor-suppressor genes normally restrain cell growth; when missing or inactivated by a mutation, they allow cells to grow and divide uncontrollably.
Angiogenesis genes allow the growing tissue to get a greater supply of oxygen.
p53 and apoptosis (programmed cell death) genes, dont function properly so the body does not kill the defective cells.
Metastasis genes allow the tumor to move from place to place via the lymph or blood making the tumor progress from benign to malignant.
DNA repair genes appear to trigger cancer - and perhaps other inherited disorders - not by spurring cell growth but by failing to correct mistakes that occur as DNA copies itself, letting mutations accumulate at thousands of sites.

All of these genetic (inheritable) factors contribute to the formation of cancer.

But don't worry.
Even though all cancer is genetic, just a small portion—perhaps 5–10% —is inherited.

For more info see:
http://rex.nci.nih.gov/behindthenews/ugt/26ugt/ugt26.htm
http://www.wwl.nhs.uk/cancerservices/CAN_SER_What_is_Cancer.asp

Answer 8

because cancer is caused by a bad gene in the genticks so if they can fix the bad gene then that person wont have cancer. pretty sweet hu!=)

Answer 9

Because your genes pre-dispose you to the possibility of cancer?
Look at lab rodents, people give them a gene that makes them more susceptible to it.