Cancer genetics (6BBYG307)

This document includes almost all topics covered in Cancer Genetics module at Kings College London. The essays cover all the lecture contents and some additional reading done on the topic. Each essay has been structured with an introduction and conclusion on the topic. Learning these can help effectively structure your exam essay. The topics included are: Mechanisms of carcinogenesis, Inherited cancer syndromes, Genetics of leukaemia, Uncovering the cancer genome, Genetic epidemiology of cance...

This essay focuses on the contents of Uncovering the cancer genome. There may also be some additional readings. Cancer is a common complex disease, caused by a mix of the environment and genetics. Hereditary cancers are rare types of cancers that account for 5 to 10% of all cancer cases. Examples include the autosomal dominant Lynch syndrome which is associates with an increased risk of colorectal cancer and the autosomal recessive Fanconi Anaemia which increases the risk of leukaemia. Sporadic ...

Lecture one focuses on the Mechanisms of carcinogenesis. The lifetime risk for any individual to develop cancer is 50%. 38% of these cases are preventable, including melanoma, lung cancer and breast cancer. 15% of cancer cases are related to smoking and 3%-10% are related to obesity. Predisposing factors to cancer include toxins, inflammation and immunity, genetic mutations, hormones and ethnicity. Risk factors include occupation, family and medical history, age, gender, ethnicity, genes, immuni...

This essay focuses on the contents of The genetics of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). There may be some additional reading. CLL is the most common leukaemia in the western world with an increasing prevalence due to early diagnosis and an increased survival because of better treatment. There is some family association.CLL is associated with a malignancy of B cells. It is diagnosed in blood by an abnormal raised white cell count and a bone marrow packed with it.

This essay focuses on the inherited cancer syndromes. Some examples include Lynch syndrome, familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), BRCA1/2 related disease, multiple endocrine neoplasia and Li-Fraumeni syndrome. Lynch syndrome is caused by impaired DNA repair, FAP is caused by a faulty TSG, BRCA1/2 related disease is caused by impaired double stranded break repair and Li-Fraumeni syndrome is associated with TP53 defects.

This essay focuses on the contents of Genetics of leukaemia. There are four types of leukaemia, they are characterised by the cell type affected, either myeloid or lymphoid cells, and the clinical presentation, acute leukaemia typically presents with a very short history of rapidly progressing symptoms and chronic leukaemia presents with long history of very slowly progressive symptoms. Acute leukaemia are often considered curable conditions whereas chronic leukaemia are generally not, though re...