Not Many Cancer Genes

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Betterhumans notes that scientists have determined only 67 genes (out of the total of 30,000 or so) play a role in changing normal human cells into cancerous ones. This is the sort of research that has only recently been made possible by advances in bioinformatics and new diagnostic equipment like microarrays. This small set of genes is a clear target for new research, as well as for the next generation of cancer diagnostics, prevention, and therapies. That so few genes are implicated makes genetic therapy for all cancers a much more promising line of research than I would have expected.

Link: http://www.betterhumans.com/News/news.aspx?articleID=2004-06-08-2