Radiation is frequently used as part of the treatment of cancer. The radiation works by damaging DNA and components of the cell. Under what circumstances do you think radiation treatment is a good choice to treat cancer?

Go to the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development (http://www.nichd.nih.gov), locate the search box at the top right corner of the homepage, and enter 'RUSP' to search for information on the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel. From the options that appear, select 'Brief History of Newborn Screening' and locate the discussion listing the criteria for adding a disease to the RUSP list. What are the criteria for listing a disease on the RUSP list?

What are community-based genetic screening programs? What is the intent of such screening programs? Why are members of specific communities or populations offered the chance to participate in such programs?

Do you think it is important that participation in community-based genetic screening be entirely voluntary? Why or why not?

Identify the normal functions of the following genes whose mutations are associated with the development of cancer.

RB1 (retinoblastoma)

Identify the normal functions of the following genes whose mutations are associated with the development of cancer.

p53 (Li–Fraumeni syndrome)

For the retinal cancer retinoblastoma, the inheritance of one mutated copy of RB1 from one of the parents is often referred to as a mutation that produces a 'dominant predisposition to cancer.' This means that the first mutation does not produce cancer but makes it very likely that cancer will develop.

Explain why cancer is almost certain to develop with the inheritance of one mutated copy of RB1.

Identify the normal functions of the following genes whose mutations are associated with the development of cancer.

Which of these genes would you classify as a proto-oncogene and which as a tumor suppressor gene? Explain your categorization for each gene.

Identify the normal functions of the following genes whose mutations are associated with the development of cancer.

APC (familial adenomatous polyposis)

Explain the following processes involving chromosome mutations and cancer development.

How the chromosome mutation producing the Philadelphia chromosome leads to CML.

Identify the normal functions of the following genes whose mutations are associated with the development of cancer.

c-MYC (Burkitt lymphoma)

Go to the website http://www.cancer.gov and select 'Cancer Types' on the top menu bar. Scroll down to 'Breast Cancer' and click. Select 'Cases & Prevention' from the options. Click 'More information' and select 'BRCA Mutations: Cancer Risk and Genetic Testing'. Use the information on this page to answer the following questions. As a special project, instead of selecting 'Breast Cancer' from the list of types of cancer, select another cancer you would like to know more about and produce a short summary of what you find.