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Page 2
However, as pointed out in an article by Folkman and associates 1, there are limitations to this approach. The authors have pointed out studies that show that hundreds if not thousands of changes in gene expression can occur as a cancer evolves. This could present a very difficult moving target for a proposed gene-based therapy. They feel that the cancer cell is best characterized by instability of the genome as a whole. Instead of focusing on the myriad ways in which tumors are different, it may be more prudent to think about fundamental ways in which they are similar. As Folkman is the leading proponent of angiogenesis inhibitors, he describes how this approach could be applied to most tumors. Moinfar and associates 3describe an interesting study that shows how tumors can influence cancerous transformation of surrounding tissues.
The completion of the human genome is causing profound changes in the thinking and direction of biomedical research. The focus is moving from the structure of the genome to its influence in the functioning of the human organism. Genomics refers to the comprehensive study of whole sets of genes and their interactions. With a more complete understanding of genes, attention will be directed towards proteomics, which is the study of the full set of proteins encoded by the genome. The rapidly evolving field of proteomics presents a new set of challenges, since proteins have more complex three dimensional structures than genes, their presence is more dynamic and changeable in the cells, and the nature of their binding to other molecules or structures must be considered. Instead of looking for one particular cause for a condition, the mechanism or process involved will be determined. As the action of genes in the disease process is understood, attention will focus on the regulation of these genes to correct the condition. References 1.Folkman, J., Hahnfeldt, P. and Hlatky, L. Cancer: looking outside the genome. Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology Vol. 1 (1), pages 76-79 (2000) 2.Human Genome Project Science. From the Genome to the Proteome Go To Page: 1 2
The copyright of the article The genome project and cancer research - Page 2 in Cancer Treatment is owned by . Permission to republish The genome project and cancer research - Page 2 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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