Genetics and Health

Saturday Genetics Quiz #8: Cancer Genes

by Hsien Hsien Lei, PhD on August 26th, 2005

This week’s question: What are the two main types of cancer genes?

Answer:

Cancer results from the uncontrolled growth of cells leading to tumors and the spread of cancerous cells throughout the body.

Oncogenes - Oncogenes cause cells to continue proliferating even when they should be at rest.

Tumor suppressor genes - Normally, tumor suppressor genes help to regulate cell division (hence “suppress”), but when they’re not functioning at their best, cells divide too quickly and can cause cancer.

More than one cancer gene may be needed to cause disease.

See CancerQuest for an excellent animated tutorial.

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