Abstract
Cancer is one of the acquired diseases finding its origin in multiple genetic alterations. From studies on several forms of hereditary cancer, we know that part of the alterations are present constitutively in the germ line, leading to a predisposition for getting cancer (1). These alterations are heterozygous and affect an allele of one or more tumor suppressor genes, which play a role in controlling cell proliferation and differentiation. Another part of the alterations occurs during life-time as a result of spontaneous mutations in the remaining intact allele, ultimately leading to the formation of the transformed cell. In this development also alterations in proto-oncogenes contribute to the formation of the tumor cell (2,3). Sporadic forms of cancer involve similar genetic alterations in tumor suppressor genes and proto-oncogenes, but they usually take much longer to develop. The notion of cancer being a disease anchored in the genes of the cancer cell makes it an attractive target for strategies involving gene therapy.
Published Version
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