Cancer Genetics at a Glance: The Comprehensive Insights Publisher



Azarnezhad A¹ ; Mehdipour P¹ Show Affiliations
Source: Cancer Genetics and Psychotherapy Published:2017

Abstract

The concept, that cancerogenesis results from genetic alterations is dated to 1866, when Broca described a familial clustering of breast and liver cancers. Thus, Haaland in 1900 and Warthin in 1913, on the basis of pedigree analyses, proved that the susceptibility to cancer might be inherited as Mendelian autosomal trait. All cancers result from an accumulation of genetic alterations in a single cell. No matter which theory is taken into consideration, a first critical mutation may be either inherited (germ line mutation) or acquired (somatic mutation). Therefore, cancer could be either hereditary (5-10% of all cancers), familial (approximately 15% of all cancers) or sporadic (70-75% of all cancers). However, cancer is initiated by mutation in either tumor suppressor genes or oncogenes. In the exposing era of new generation of sequencing and molecular profiling, the role of genetic alterations including microdeletions, micro-insertions, cytogenetic abnormalities, DNA methylation, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), single nucleotide substitutions have been more identified. The tools of genetics have been used to systematically examine how cancers arise. Insight into the genetic and molecular horizon of cancer pathogenesis will provide a new opportunity for identification of potential prognostic, diagnostic and drug target biomarkers. In the current chapter we explored to present an overview on the genetic aspects including breast, hematopoietic, brain, bladder, hepatocellular, and alimentary system-related cancers. In each section, a brief introduction on cancer genetics is provided which is followed by comprehensive molecular and functional information through the tables. It was our aim to provide an outline on genetic and signaling networks involved in cancer susceptibility and tumor behavior at a glance. This chapter is reflective of the genetics/functional-based insights of the key genes involved in different types of cancer. The involved machinery is also provided through the alterations of mutation, expression profiles, miRNA deregulation, and epigenetic deregulation of genes in tumor pathogenesis. These events may lead to sub-classification in specific cancers. © Springer International Publishing AG 2017. All rights reserved.