The role of proto-oncogenes in human cancer: implications for diagnosis and treatment

Proto-oncogenes are normal genes which affect normal cell growth and proliferation, but which have the potential to contribute to Cancer development if their expression is altered. A variety of events may activate proto-oncogenes and convert them from benign genes to Cancer genes. These events include mutations of nucleic acid sequences, chromosomal rearrangements, and amplification of the number of genes. The observations that alterations in specific gene sequences frequently accompany neoplasia have provided the first insights into the pathogenesis of human Cancer at the molecular level. These insights offer new opportunities for developing Cancer diagnostics and therapeutics.