Summary
At the level of the cell, cancer is a genetic disease; in populations, most types of cancer have some genetic, congenital, or familial determinants. Virtually all cancers have somatic chromosomal abnormalities, and a few constitutional cytogenetic defects predispose to malignancy. At least 338 single gene traits have neoplasia as a feature or complication. Familial syndromes of cancer are being delineated; some have clear genetic origins, others are probably environmentally induced. A 1986 workshop at the US National Institutes of Health (Fogarty International Center) proposed strategies for controlling cancer through genetics in four areas: clinical practice, educational and administrative measures, research needs, and ethical issues. Further deliberation is needed to expand the Workshop proposal to a global view, but feasibility demonstrations are well underway. An international approach to familial cancer being launched by the UICC (the worldwide federation of voluntary national cancer societies) may help catalyze professional and public attention to cancer control through genetics.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Albano WA, Lynch HT, Recabaren JA, Organ CH, Maillard JA, Black LE, Follett KL, Lynch J (1981) Family cancer in an oncology clinic. Cancer 47: 2113–2118
Boveri T (1914) Zur frage der entstehung maligner tumoren. Gustav Fischer, Jena
Cannon-Albright LA, Thomas A, Goldgar DE, Gholami K, Rowe K, Jacobsen M, McWhorter WP, Skolnick MH (1994) Familiality of cancer in Utah. Cancer Res 54: 2378–2385
Cavenee WK, White RL (1995) The genetic basis of cancer. Sei Am 272(3): 72–79
Chaganti RSK, German J (1985) (eds) Genetics in clinical oncology. Oxford University Press, New York
ELSI (Ethical, Logical, and Social Implications Office) (1994) Informed consent for genetic research on stored tissue samples--draft. National Center for Human Genome Research, 22
Hoskins KF, Stopfer JE, Calzone KA, Merajver SD, Rebbeck TR, Garber JE, Weber B (1995) Assessment and counseling for women with a family history of breast cancer. JAMA 273: 577–585
Li FP, Fraumeni Jr JF, Mulvihill JJ, Blattner WA, Dreyfus MG, Tucker MA, Miller RW (1988) A cancer family syndrome in twenty-four kindreds. Cancer Res 48: 5358–5362
Love RR, Evans AM, Josten DM (1985) The accuracy of patient reports of a family history of cancer. J Chron Dis 38:289–293
Lynch HT (1994) (ed) Hereditary cancers. Hem/Onc Ann 2: 102–182
Lynch PM, Lynch HT (1985) (eds) Colon cancer genetics. Van Nostrand & Reinhold, New York
Malkin D (1994) Germline p53 mutations and heritable cancer. Ann Rev Genet 28: 443–465
McKusick VA (1994) (ed) Mendelian inheritance in man. 11th Ed. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore
Mitelman F (1991) Catalog of chromosomes aberrations in cancer. John Wiley & Sons, New York
Müller HJ (1985) Familial cancer in Basel: some aspects. In: Müller HJ, Weber W (eds) Familial Cancer. Karger, Basel, 1–5
Müller HJ, Weber W (1985) (eds) Familial cancer. Karger, Basel
Mulvihill JJ (1985) Clinical ecogenetics: Cancer in families. N Engl J Med 312: 1569–1570
Mulvihill JJ (1989) Prospects for cancer control and prevention through genetics. Clin Genet 36: 313–319
Mulvihill JJ (1993) Childhood cancer, the environment and heredity. In: Pizzo PA, Poplack DG (eds) Principles and practice of pediatric oncology. Second Ed. JB Lippincott, Philadelphia, 11–27
Mulvihill JJ (1994) Clinical ecogenetics of human cancer. Hem/Onc Ann 2: 157–161
Mulvihill JJ (1995) McKusick’s Mendelian inheritance in man for oncology. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, in press
Mulvihill JJ, Miller RW, Fraumeni JF Jr (1977) (eds) Genetics of human cancer. Raven Press, New York
Parry DM, Berg K, Mulvihill JJ, Carter CL, Miller RW (1987a) Strategies for controlling cancer through genetics: report of a workshop. Am J Hum Genet 41: 63–69
Parry DM, Mulvihill JJ, Miller RW, Berg K, Carter CL (1987b) Strategies for controlling cancer through genetics. Cancer Res 47: 6814–6817
Philippe P (1989) (ed) Les families à cancer. Les Presses de l’Université de Montréal, Montréal
Rabbitts TH (1994) Chromosomal translocations in human cancer. Nature 372: 143–149
Schneider KA (1994) Counseling about cancer: strategies for genetic counselors. Graphic Illusions, Dennisport, Massachusetts
Tulinius H, Olafsdottir GH, Sigvaldason H, Tryggvadottir L, Bjarndottir K (1994) Neoplastic diseases in families of breast cancer patients. J Med Genet 31: 618–621
Weber W, Narod S, Mulvihill JJ (1995) (eds) Familial cancer. CRC Press, Boca Raton, in press
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1996 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Mulvihill, J.J. (1996). Prospects of Cancer Control Through Genetics. In: Berg, K., Boulyjenkov, V., Christen, Y. (eds) Genetic Approaches to Noncommunicable Diseases. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-61028-8_9
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-61028-8_9
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-64662-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-61028-8
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive