Genetic Damage and Skin Cancer

Want to read the rest of this paper? Join Essayworld today to view this entire essay and over 50,000 other term papers

found the rough location, on one of the 23 pairs of chromosomes found in every cell's nucleus, of a particular type of genetic damage that may help start the cancer formation process. While this is basic research, it could ultimately lead to doctors being able to provide a new type of therapy for melanoma.

At the Eighth International Congress of Human Genetics this past October, Fountain reported that cells in 13 of the 15 melanoma tumors she tested were missing a stretch of chromosome 9, which combines with all the other chromosomes to direct every cell's function.

Based on other findings, the missing section Fountain has located appears normally to contain one or more "tumor-suppressor genes"--genes that regulate the growth and reproduction of the cell. Freed of normal regulation, the cell can divide fast and chaotically into cancerous offspring.

Since Fountain hasn't pinpointed specific tumor-suppressor genes in the missing stretch of chromosome 9, her next task is to ...

Get instant access to over 50,000 essays. Write better papers. Get better grades. Already a member? Login

such experiments have been done in various laboratories on small numbers of cells, applying the idea to living tissue on a large scale is "more fantasy than reality," Housman says. "The odds against getting every last cell" are simply too great.

Still, Housman points out, illuminating the genetic mechanisms that lead to melanoma offer potential places to intervene with therapy.


Word count: 552

Copyright Massachusetts Institute of Technology Alumni Association Feb/Mar 1992


Understanding cancer genetics and how it plays a part in melanoma may sound like a daunting task. But taking time to do just that can help you better understand your risk -- and what you can do about ...

Succeed in your coursework without stepping into a library. Get access to a growing library of notes, book reports, and research papers in 2 minutes or less.

CITE THIS PAGE: