Surgical prophylaxis for inheritable malignant diseases: breast cancer and endocrine disease.
Despite advances in modern medicine, cancer remains all too common and deadly. At its core, cancer is a disease of our DNA. As such, many cancers are passed from parents to children, making cancer one of the most commonly inherited diseases. Presently, we have no meaningful methods of "preventing" the malignant transformation that occurs as a result of an inherited gene, but investigators have identified several genetic mutations and subsequently developed risk-reduction strategies that sometimes involve surgery.
Benns
Matthew V
MV
Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA.
Luk
Tammy
T
Scoggins
Charles R
CR
D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D004700:Endocrine System Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D052138:Genes, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male