Question

Describe tumor-inducing properties of a gene that causes a type of cancer in human blood cells. How can this disease be treated. Why is it necessary to treat individuals with the same cancer type through personalized medicine approach?

Answer 1

The cancer of the human blood cells is known as leukemia. Cancer is the unregulated proliferation of the cells in the body that do not respond to the grwoth controlling factors. The unregulated division of the tumor cells give rise to multiple disrupted cell behavior.  

The gene responsible for a type of leukemia (Familial acute myeloid leukemia) is caused as a result of the mutation in the gene CEBPA. This gene is resonsible for producing a transcription factor for the differentiation of the blood cells in the bone marrow. The mutation in this gene results in the formation of multiple abnormal white blood cells in the bone marrow.

The treatment of this cancer includes chemotherapy in addition to the targeted drug therapy. Although the route for the treatment vary from patient to patient. different approaches are used to treat different patients with the same type of cancer. Same drugs affect different people differently based on their genetic makeup. In order for the treatment to be effective, it is necessary to use personalized medicine approach.