The Cause Of Cancer

Superior Essays
A body is made up of cells, and in each cell, genes are found. Genes are passed down to children from parents, and over time genes can mutate. Mutations, or changes, in genes acquired from a mother or father, or genes damaged throughout a person’s life, is what contributes to the growth and development of cancer. Normally, one mutation will not cause cancer because the human body can correct that change, but with a multitude of mutations over time cancer becomes more probable. There have also been studies on how the loss of a sex chromosome will lead to the likeliness of cancer in males.

Research done by members of the American Society of Human Genetics has shown that men of older ages actually have a higher mortality rate
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The certain mutations required for detection, signaling, and repair of DNA damage can actually lead to more DNA damage, the incorrect repair of damage, and cancer. If DNA repair pathways that are needed for the life and growth of a tumor can be found and delayed, then the use of chemotherapy and radiotherapy can and will be much more successful (Bolderson, Richard, Zhou, and Khanna, …show more content…
It is also probable that cancer treatment, or cancer therapeutics, will become predictable with the location, and recognition of tumor biomarkers, allowing for more targeted and effective cancer treatments (Olopade and Pichert, 2001). Further digging into therapeutic and oncogenic effects on repair inhibitors are validated to pinpoint the appropriate targets (Olopade and Pichert, 2001).

Cancer genetics in oncology is being greatly improved by the Humane Genome Project. Cancer is caused by the fast progressive accumulation of mutated genes that control cell growth, and this can be seen by genetic testing (Olopade and Pichert, 2001). Although genetic testing is used, it is still not used to it’s full potential in oncology care. When the Human Genome Project is complete experts will be able to use the new information that will be acquired (Olopade and Pichert, 2001). The Human Genome Project has allowed the medical community to identify certain genes that are susceptible to cancers such as breast, ovary, and colon cancer. Also, there are other advances being done to help with more complex cancers such as head and neck cancers (Olopade and Pichert,

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