Textbook Question
Define tumor-suppressor genes. Why is a mutated single copy of a tumor-suppressor gene expected to behave as a recessive gene?
Ch. 19 - The Genetics of Cancer
Klug10th EditionEssentials of GeneticsISBN: 9780135588789
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Table of contents
- Ch. 1 - Introduction to Genetics16
- Ch. 2 - Mitosis and Meiosis28
- Ch. 3 - Mendelian Genetics37
- Ch. 4 - Modification of Mendelian Ratios53
- Ch. 5 - Sex Determination and Sex Chromosomes32
- Ch. 6 - Chromosome Mutations: Variation in Number and Arrangement37
- Ch. 7 - Linkage and Chromosome Mapping in Eukaryotes36
- Ch. 8 - Genetic Analysis and Mapping in Bacteria and Bacteriophages24
- Ch. 9 - DNA Structure and Analysis38
- Ch. 10 - DNA Replication29
- Ch. 11 - Chromosome Structure and DNA Sequence Organization22
- Ch. 12 - The Genetic Code and Transcription36
- Ch. 13 - Translation and Proteins27
- Ch. 14 - Gene Mutation, DNA Repair, and Transposition34
- Ch. 15 - Regulation of Gene Expression in Bacteria22
- Ch. 16 - Regulation of Gene Expression in Eukaryotes37
- Ch. 17 - Recombinant DNA Technology27
- Ch. 18 - Genomics, Bioinformatics, and Proteomics30
- Ch. 19 - The Genetics of Cancer21
- Ch. 20 - Quantitative Genetics and Multifactorial Traits37
- Ch. 21 - Population and Evolutionary Genetics45
Chapter 19, Problem 7
What is the difference between saying that cancer is inherited and saying that the predisposition to cancer is inherited?
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Understand the meaning of 'cancer is inherited' — this implies that the actual disease (cancer itself) is directly passed down from parent to offspring through genes, meaning the child would have cancer simply by inheritance.
Step 2: Understand the meaning of 'predisposition to cancer is inherited' — this means that certain genetic factors or mutations that increase the likelihood or risk of developing cancer are passed down, but the disease itself is not guaranteed to occur.
Step 3: Recognize that inheriting a predisposition involves carrying specific gene variants (such as mutations in tumor suppressor genes or oncogenes) that make an individual more susceptible to cancer when combined with environmental or lifestyle factors.
Step 4: Contrast this with inheriting cancer itself, which is rare because cancer is generally a result of multiple genetic changes and external influences accumulating over time, not a single inherited condition.
Step 5: Summarize that inheriting cancer predisposition means having a higher risk due to genetic factors, whereas inheriting cancer would mean the disease is present from birth, which is not typically how cancer develops.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Inherited Cancer
Inherited cancer refers to cancer that arises directly due to genetic mutations passed from parents to offspring, causing cancer to develop as a direct consequence of these mutations in every cell.
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Genetic Predisposition to Cancer
A genetic predisposition means inheriting mutations that increase the likelihood of developing cancer, but do not guarantee it; environmental and lifestyle factors also influence whether cancer actually develops.
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Difference Between Inheritance of Cancer and Predisposition
The key difference is that inherited cancer means cancer itself is passed down, while inherited predisposition means only a higher risk is inherited, not the cancer itself; predisposition requires additional factors to trigger cancer.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question
Where are the major regulatory points in the cell cycle?
Textbook Question
What is apoptosis, and under what circumstances do cells undergo this process?
Textbook Question
List the functions of kinases and cyclins, and describe how they interact to cause cells to move through the cell cycle.