Apr. 8 –15, 2005 Listen to the message

Good Cells Gone Bad

Many patients ask me if their cancer is genetic. I tell them all cancer is genetic, but few are hereditary.

Confused? Let me explain.

Every cell in the body contains a blueprint for the entire person. And that blueprint, which defines how our bodies look and function, is called our genetic code.

Each of our blueprints is a blend of our mom’s and our dad’s genes. If mom or dad or both gave you a blueprint with a defect or mutation in a gene, then we call it hereditary. But if the original blueprint was fine, but became damaged over time, we call it an acquired mutation.

So years of tobacco use, eating unhealthy foods, or getting too much sun damages genes causing acquired mutations that result in cancer.

So all cancer is genetic, but only 10% hereditary.

How we treat the cancer is next week’s topic.

Georgia Cancer Specialists, based in Atlanta, Georgia, is the largest private oncology and hematology practice in the Southeast with 41 physicians and 31 offices throughout the Atlanta and Macon areas.

THE CONTENT ON THE GCS WEB SITE IS NOT INTENDED IN ANY WAY TO BE A SUBSTITUTE FOR PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF YOUR PHYSICIAN OR OTHER QUALIFIED HEALTH PROVIDER WITH ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE REGARDING A MEDICAL CONDITION. NEITHER THE CONTENT NOR ANY OTHER PRODUCT OR SERVICE OFFERED BY OR THROUGH THE SITE IS INTENDED TO BE RELIED UPON FOR MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS OR TREATMENT. NEVER DISREGARD MEDICAL ADVICE OR DELAY IN SEEKING IT BECAUSE OF SOMETHING YOU HAVE READ ON THIS SITE! IN AN EMERGENCY CALL 911 OR YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE NUMBER. NEITHER THE SITE NOR ANY OF ITS OWNERS, STAFF, OR AGENTS MAKE ANY REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY WITH RESPECT TO THE CONTENT OF THE SITE OR INFORMATION FURNISHED BY IT OR ANY AGENTS, EMPLOYEES OR REPRESENTATIVES AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, COMPLETENESS, TIMELINESS, CORRECTNESS, NONINFRINGEMENT, AND FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR USE, APPLICATION, OR PURPOSE.

Web site by Lenz

The Cancer Answer

Apr. 8 –15, 2005 Listen to the message

Good Cells Gone Bad

Georgia Cancer Specialists, based in Atlanta, Georgia, is the largest private oncology and hematology practice in the Southeast with 41 physicians and 31 offices throughout the Atlanta and Macon areas.