Did you know…like a car, there are genes that drive cancer.

There are 3 types of genes that play a role in cancer, Oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes, and DNA repair genes.

Oncogenes: Oncogenes start out as proto-oncogenes. They act as the gas pedal in a car.

Proto-oncogenes are the normal genes that help cells grow and divide. However, the proto-oncogenes can mutate to become an oncogene. The oncogene drives the cells to grow out of control. This is like a gas pedal being stuck, and the car won’t stop speeding.

Tumor suppressor genes: Tumor suppressor genes are the genes that slow down cell growth, (like a brake in a car). When the gene mutates, it can no longer stop cell growth which means that even if there is a proto-oncogene, that proto-oncogene will cause the cell to grow out of control because nothing is stopping it from doing so. It is like a car driving at a normal speed but there is nothing to stop it.

DNA repair genes: DNA repair genes work like a car mechanic. Their job is to fix mistakes in a cell’s DNA like how a car mechanic fixes problems with a car. If the DNA repair gene can’t fix a cell, it usually kills the cell. This is to stop a defective cell from being in the circulation. If the DNA repair gene is mutated so it is no longer active, mistakes build up in a cell. Imagine a damaged car still driving. Some of the mistakes could affect other genes which would ultimately cause the cell to grow out of control.