The Genetic Basis of Cancer

Designed to educate healthcare professionals, this CD-ROM covers the scientific concepts that explain the genetic basis for cancer, focusing on breast and colon cancer. It also provides a comprehensive account of issues in patient care such as risk assessment, genetic testing, and follow-up care.

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Designed to educate healthcare professionals, this CD-ROM covers the scientific concepts that explain the genetic basis for cancer, focusing on breast and colon cancer. It also provides a comprehensive account of issues in patient care such as risk assessment, genetic testing, and follow-up care. The science part begins with a genetics refresher, followed by a section on malignant transformation that explains the series of mutations which accumulate to transform a normal somatic cell into a cancer cell. A subsequent section on hereditary and sporadic cancers compares and contrasts these two types, and another section shows how genes and the environment interact to increase the risk for cancer. Finally, breast cancer and colon cancer are presented as models for these concepts. The patient care part opens with a tutorial on risk assessment. Then, in a section called "To Test or Not to Test," it explores genetic counseling for decisions about testing and gives detailed descriptions of the available tests. The "Managing Patients" segment describes the follow-up of people who are found to have BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations.
This deals with such issues as surveillance, prophylactic surgery, the use of HRT by women at high risk for breast cancer, and chemoprevention.