Chapter 23, Problem 15
Mammography is an accurate screening technique for the early detection of breast cancer in humans. Because this technique uses X rays diagnostically, it has been highly controversial. Can you explain why? What reasons justify the use of X rays for such a medical screening technique?
Video transcript
If a cell suffers damage to its DNA while in S phase, how can this damage be repaired before the cell enters mitosis?
Distinguish between oncogenes and proto-oncogenes. In what ways can proto-oncogenes be converted to oncogenes?
Of the two classes of genes associated with cancer, tumor-suppressor genes and oncogenes, mutations in which group can be considered gain-of-function mutations? In which group are the loss-of-function mutations? Explain.
How do translocations such as the Philadelphia chromosome contribute to cancer?
Explain why many oncogenic viruses contain genes whose products interact with tumor-suppressor proteins.
DNA sequencing has provided data to indicate that cancer cells may contain tens of thousands of somatic mutations, only some of which confer a growth advantage to a cancer cell. How do scientists describe and categorize these recently discovered populations of mutations in cancer cells?