Genes and cancer treatment

Several types of genes can change in a cancer cell: genes that control cell growth, cell death and cell movement, and genes that repair DNA damage. Since 1975 scientists have tracked down over a hundred genes involved in cancer. Changes in just a few of them can turn a healthy working cell into a cancerous one. Knowing their identity will allow scientists to devise new ways to fight cancer.

Changes in the ras protein - a growth 'accelerator' - are found in many tumours. US Department of Energy Human Genome Program (www.ornl.gov/hgmis)