Summarizing Cancer and Gene Regulation

Summary

Cancer can be described as a disease of altered gene expression. Changes at every level of eukaryotic gene expression can be detected in some form of cancer at some point in time. In order to understand how changes to gene expression can cause cancer, it is critical to understand how each stage of gene regulation works in normal cells. By understanding the mechanisms of control in normal, non-diseased cells, it will be easier for scientists to understand what goes wrong in disease states including complex ones like cancer.

Glossary

DNA methylation

epigenetic modification that leads to gene silencing; commonly found in cancer cells

histone acetylation

epigenetic modification that leads to gene silencing; commonly found in cancer cells

myc

oncogene that causes cancer in many cancer cells