Toward a genetics of cancer resistance.
Two of three humans never get cancer. Even the majority of heavy smokers remain cancer free. Is this a matter of chance, or are there cancer-resistant genotypes? Based on the evidence discussed, it would appear that evolution has favored a limited number of relatively common resistance genes that may nip incipient cancerous foci in the bud, i.e., to stop them at their inception. It is further suggested that resistance genes may act at the level of tissue organization in a dominant fashion.
Klein
George
G
Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institute, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden. georg.klein@ki.se
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D005075:Biological Evolution; D004260:DNA Repair / Q000235:genetics; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D014644:Genetic Variation; D018392:Genomic Imprinting; D006801:Humans; D006824:Hybridization, Genetic; D051379:Mice; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009857:Oncogenes