MODULE 10                                                                               CANCER

Cancer continues to kill thousands of Americans each year.  Tremendous strides are being made in learning about the relationship between genes and cancer.  One particular type of cancer is pancreatic cancer.  27,000 new cases of pancreatic cancer are discovered every year.  In 1997, there were 28,100 deaths from the disease. Tools on various web sites exist that can be used by students to learn about the inheritance of human diseases.  One such powerful website is http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/.  Go to this web site.  On the left margin, click on "Alphabetical List".  Click on Genes and Diseases.  Notice the list of categories of disease.  Click on Cancers.   Notice the list of various cancers.  Click on the Pancreatic cancer link.

              Investigate and write answers to the following:

• What is the general role of the pancreas?
• What chromosome seems to be involved in this cancer?
• What is the name of the gene that may be involved?
• Is the presence or absence of this gene the possible culprit?

5.  This gene is a tumor suppressor gene.  Without doing any research, what do you think a “tumor suppressor gene” might do?

At the top of the page, click on the illustration of the chromosome # 18

Notice where on this chromosome this gene is located.  Click on “Map Viewer”.  6.  What does this page illustrate?

In the left margin, search for this gene by entering its name in the “Region Shown”.  Locate the Pancreatic cancer gene on this chromosome.

• Record the label used to identify the specific region of the chromosome this gene is found on __________________.

Notice other diseases whose gene complements have been identified on this same chromosome. 

MODULE 10  Answer Key:

1. The pancreas is responsible for producing the hormone insulin, along with other substances. It also plays a key role in the digestion of protein.

1. About 90% of human pancreatic carcinomas show a loss of part of chromosome 18.

1. In 1996, a possible tumor suppressor gene, DPC4 (Smad4), was discovered from the section that is lost in pancreatic cancer, so may play a role in pancreatic cancer.

1. It appears the absence of the gene is the possible culprit.

1. Tumor suppressor genes suppress the growth of cancerous tumors by suppressing uncontrolled cell division.

1. Map viewer shows a detailed illustration of the location of many genes on the chromosome along with clickable links from each gene to additional information about the gene.

1. label- 600993