Clinical manifestations of genetic instability overlap one another

[摘要] Cancer syndromes are characteristic associations of specific malignancies with various congenital anomalies. In addition to such diseases, an increased prevalence in general of chromosomal instability, malformations, immunodeficiencies, altered growth and development, and reproductive loss has been observed in both childhood leukemias and solid tumors. The overlap among these congenital disorders suggests their common prenatal, possibly genetic origin and thus the existence of a nonspecific genetic instability leading to various clinical manifestations of disturbancies in cell division. Seeking for related features in family members of a patient with malignancy may be of clinical value in detecting predisposition to cancer.

[学科分类] 生理学与病理学

[关键词] predisposition to cancer