Microsoft Word - RadBio_Programme_ParisSept2017_verAug31

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Cancer is a genetic disease
• Disease involving changes in the genome
– point mutations
– gene amplification
– chromosome instability
– deletions, silencing
• 2 classes of cancer genes:
– Oncogenes
– Tumor suppressors
• “Driving” mutation:
– Confers growth advantage
– Causative of cancer
• “Passenger ” mutation:
– No growth advantage
– No causative role in cancer