16.2 Mutations in Several Types of Genes Contribute to Cancer

As we have seen, cancer is a disease caused by alterations in DNA. More than 350 different human genes have been identified that contribute to the development of cancer, and the actual number is probably much higher. Research with mice suggests that more than 2000 genes can, when mutated, contribute to cancer. In this section, we consider some of the different types of genes that frequently have roles in cancer.