| New Cervical Cancer Screening Guidelines | | | | oncogene. The cancer cells are still contained within |
| When these genes are mutated, they are then called | | | | the breast duct, but they have been programmed to |
| oncogenes. Proto-oncogenes involved in breast cancer | | | | grow much faster because of the over expression of |
| are mostly those that cause more cell division by | | | | such oncogene. Although Her-2/neu oncogene was |
| making the cell cycle go faster and accelerate. New | | | | first identified in breast cancer, research is also being |
| Cervical Cancer Screening GuidelinesThey are | | | | done to see if it is also involved in other cancer types |
| involved in pushing cell division harder, stronger and | | | | such as lung, pancreas and ovary cancer. |
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| One of the proto-oncogenes is related to the | | | | For breast cancer to have an invasive nature, it needs |
| epidermal growth factor receptor. This receptor plays | | | | more than one genetic alteration. So long as there's |
| a vital role at certain times of the life cycle, such as | | | | only over expression of Her-2/neu oncogene, the |
| puberty, when big changes are going on with body | | | | cancer will remain confined within the breast duct. If it |
| growth, wherein a protein known as epidermal growth | | | | requires other forms of genetic alterations, one that |
| factor functions to promote cell growth. This protein | | | | causes cancer cells to move out of the ductal region |
| binds to an epidermal growth factor receptor and | | | | or make new blood vessels (angiogenesis), then it can |
| signals the cell to grow. When the proto-oncogene for | | | | spread. If the cancer patient has these invasive cancer |
| the receptor is over expressed, it doesn't wait for the | | | | alterations and one of the accelerated cancer |
| epidermal growth factor receptor to tell it to grow. | | | | growths, then it is worse. People with both of these |
| Instead, cells begin to grow independently, just like | | | | genetic alterations have a worse prognosis than with |
| getting stuck in the "ON" position. | | | | only one type of alteration alone. Cancer not only |
| Another type of epidermal growth factor receptor is a | | | | requires excessive cancer cell proliferation, it also has |
| subtype, the epidermal growth factor receptor 2. This | | | | to invade, grow new blood vessels and spread from |
| receptor is more commonly known as Her-2/neu | | | | the breast area. |
| oncogene. The type of genetic alteration that Her-2 | | | | One of the fascinating things that have happened in |
| neu has in breast cancer is known as amplification. | | | | recent years is that there is now an antibody to |
| Instead of having only one copy during cell division, the | | | | counteract the Her-2/neu receptor, which can be given |
| cell makes numerous copies of this gene, about ten to | | | | intravenously to breast cancer patients. It has quite a |
| sixty times more. Either the gene over expression or | | | | unique mechanism of action. It attaches only to cells |
| the extra protein can be measured in a woman's | | | | with too much Her-2/neu receptor, not the normal |
| cancer by examining the cancer tissue that has been | | | | ones, so that while it antagonizes Her-2/neu cells, it |
| resected. Since Her-2/neu oncogene encodes a | | | | leaves the other cells unaffected. Unlike chemotherapy, |
| growth factor receptor, it functions in signaling the cells | | | | with which case most dividing cells are destroyed, it is |
| to grow faster and faster, although it is not involved in | | | | a targeted therapy. So far, this treatment has been |
| cancer invasiveness. About 70 to 80 percent breast | | | | used only in metastatic breast cancer, but it has |
| precancers have over expression of Her-2/neu | | | | implications for disease that hasn't spread yet. |