TY - CHAP M1 - Book, Section TI - Cancer Genetics and Biology A1 - Aplan, Peter D. A1 - Plon, Sharon E. A2 - Kline, Mark W. Y1 - 2018 N1 - T2 - Rudolph's Pediatrics, 23e AB - The statement “cancer is a genetic disease” is true from 2 overlapping perspectives. First, analysis of the genome of a cancer cell almost always reveals specific acquired changes (point mutations, rearrangements, or amplifications) that play a fundamental role in transforming a normal cell into a cancer cell. As described in this chapter, knowledge of these changes has substantially improved our ability to treat and often cure childhood cancer. Second, in approximately 10% of childhood cancer patients, the child was born with a genetic change that substantially increased the risk of cancer developing. Identifying these at-risk children and families allows us to implement cancer surveillance at an early age in an attempt to identify the cancer at a stage that is more curable and where therapy may be less toxic. In some rare, particularly high-risk conditions, prophylactic surgery may be recommended to prevent cancer from developing. SN - PB - McGraw-Hill Education CY - New York, NY Y2 - 2024/03/28 UR - accesspediatrics.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1182910801 ER -