The Importance Of Proto-Oncogenes

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As stated by Heidi Chial (2006), proto-oncogenes code for proteins that stimulate cell division and differentiation-perform a specific function. The proto-oncogenes processes are essential to the human health and for organ and tissue maintenance (Chial, 2006). On the other hand, tumor suppressor genes slow down cell division, DNA mistakes are fixed, and authorizes cells when to die-it simply stops cells from turning cancerous (American Cancer Society [ACS], 2011) . Mutations can occur to these genes, that is an alteration in the DNA sequence that changes their proper function and can cause health issues. Proto-oncogenes for instance, when mutated, activates the oncogene (altered version) which causes an acceleration and an increase in cell division and soon is out of control and leads to cancer (ACS, 2011). When mutations occur in tumor suppressor genes, as said by Katherine M. Hyland (n.d.), they deactivate the ability to fix DNA mistakes and cancer develops as well. The National Cancer Institute (2014) states that the original role of the BRCA gene is to produce proteins that help develop breasts, fix damaged DNA, and prevent rapid cell growth. For this same reason, the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes belong in the category of tumor suppressor genes (Kluger and Park, 2013). Mutations in these genes are related to breast cancer because most of the BRCA genes are found in the breast tissue, declared by Kluger and Park (2013), and when mutations occur, the accumulation of cancer cells begins-breast cancer develops.
Barbou S. Warren and Carol Devine (2003) stated that not all forms of breast cancer are inherited; they are either familial cancers (inherited form parents) or Sporadic cancers (no family history of cancer). According to a figu...

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...ouble mastectomy was logical alternative. The double mastectomy lessened her cancer risk from 87 % to simply 5 % (Kluger and Park, 2013). In Angelina's case, the surgery also increase her life span based on her mother's history, also stated by Kluger and Parker (2013), because her mother died of ovarian cancer at age 56- a cancer also influenced by the BRCA gene mutation. If one of my family members were to get diagnosed for an increase risk of breast cancer, I would simply recommend her to get a double mastectomy. I would not want my family member to get screened at least once every year and during that year break for her to develop cancer. Like Angelina Jolie, her preventive double mastectomy reduced her cancer risk a lot and her life span increase (Kluger and Park 2013). My family member can have the same opportunity of life expansion and reduction of cancer.

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