The study of many different organisms has contributed to our understanding of cancer at the molecular, cellular, and organismal levels. Considerable effort is focused on the rational design and use of mouse models, including spatially and temporally controlled genetic modifications…
The molecular pathogenesis of human cancer is a complex process that often requires the cooperation of genetic mutations within many cellular pathways that ultimately lead to tumorigenesis. Simple model organisms with conserved genes and developmental pathways offer systems with which…
Introduction to Cancer and the Environment Environment, Genetics, and Cancer Overall human cancer risk is determined by complex interactions between host genetics and environmental exposures. On exposure to a cancer-causing agent, a cascade of events is set into motion that…
Overview of Cancer and Infectious Agents Infectious agents are second only to tobacco use as a potentially preventable cause of cancer in humans. Estimates vary between 15% and 30% as to the percentage of cancers worldwide that are associated with…
It has been known for decades that genetic alterations are a fundamental driving force in the initiation and progression of human cancers. It is also now apparent, through a more recent and growing body of work, that epigenetic changes may…
Introduction DNA repair is central to the field of cancer biology, and it has important implications for cancer diagnosis and treatment. Cancer cells are often deficient in a normal DNA repair function, and this deficiency allows the tumor to develop…
Introduction Over the past 40 years, efforts to understand the underlying rules that govern the transformation of somatic cells into their malignant counterparts have led to the identification of discrete alterations in genes and gene products that, in combination, are…
Signaling: An Overview Intercellular communication is critical to embryonic development, tissue differentiation, and systemic responses to wounds and infections. These complex signaling networks are in large part initiated by growth factors. Such factors can influence cell proliferation in positive or…
Our understanding of the origins of cancer has changed dramatically over the past three decades, due in large part to the revolution in molecular biology that has altered the face of all biomedical research. Powerful experimental tools have been thrust…