Tumor suppressor genes
Genes that stop cell growth, preventing tumor development. In health, tumor suppressor genes direct the production of proteins to block cell division when there are abnormalities in the cell, such as DNA damage. When mutated, tumor suppressor genes lose the ability to influence cell division. Cells may then proliferate without regulation, the foundation of cancer. MOLECULARLY TARGETED THERAPIES and MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES (MABS) show significant promise for altering the function of mutated tumor suppressor genes to restore their ability to block cell growth.
| IDENTIFIED TUMOR SUPPRESSOR GENES | |
|---|---|
| Gene | Cancer Connection |
| APC | COLORECTAL CANCER |
| BRCA-1/BRCA-2 | BREAST CANCER, OVARIAN CANCER |
| MEN-1/MEN-2 | MULTIPLE ENDOCRINE NEOPLASIA (MEN) |
| NF1/NF2 | NEUROFIBROMATOSIS |
| PTEN | THYROID CANCER |
| Rb | RETINOBLASTOMA, osteosarcoma, breast cancer, LUNG CANCER |
| TP53 (p53) | lung cancer, breast cancer, LIVER CANCER, CERVICAL CANCER, SKIN CANCER, PROSTATE CANCER, ovarian cancer |
| WT1 | WILMS’S TUMOR |
See also CELL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION; GENE; ONCOGENES.
