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Eighteenth Annual Darwin College Lecture Series 2003

DNA

Changing Science and Society

Lecture 5   :   14 February 2003

DNA and Cancer

Professor Ron Laskey
Hutchison/MRC Research Centre, Cambridge

Biography   |   Abstract   |   Printable Version

At present rates, one third of the UK population will suffer from cancer and one quarter will die from it. DNA plays crucial roles in the cause, detection and treatment of cancer. Cancer is a disease of DNA in that it arises by accumulation of a series of altered genes within a cell, causing it to become cancerous. These changes can arise from inheritance of an altered gene, predisposing an individual to certain types of cancer, or by DNA damage in one or a few cells of the body, for example DNA damage caused by carcinogens such as tobacco smoke.

Paradoxically DNA damage is also important in the treatment and diagnosis of cancer. Radiotherapy and many chemotherapeutic drugs exert their beneficial effects by severely damaging DNA, thus killing cancer cells. Recently, automated methods for seeking DNA alterations in tumours have emerged for diagnosing them more precisely and allowing more tailored treatments to be selected. Conversely proteins that regulate DNA synthesis in the cell are emerging as promising general markers for screening for many of the commonest cancers. Improving early detection could increase the success of existing cancer treatments.

The lectures are given at 5.30 p.m. in The Lady Mitchell Hall, Sidgwick Avenue, with an adjacent overflow theatre with live TV coverage. Each lecture is typically attended by 600 people so you must arrive early to ensure a place.