CANCER A GENETIC DISORDER - AN OVERVIEW

Cancer is primarily caused by mutations in growth, growth-inhibiting factor genes and pathways that inhibit the normal sequence of events associated with apoptosis. Normally cell cycle is controlled by signal transduction. Generally growth factors stimulate cell division and growth-inhibiting factors inhibit cell division. Healthy cells divide only when growth factor and growth-inhibiting factor balance favors cell division. Cancer cells divide without constraint. This paper reviews about the genes evidencing the possibility of cancer causing mechanism. Key words: Mutation, Cell cycle, Signal transduction, Cell division and Genes.