Toward a genetics of cancer resistance

  1. George Klein1
  1. Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institute, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden

  1. Contributed by George Klein, November 20, 2008 (received for review October 28, 2008)

Abstract

Two of three humans never get cancer. Even the majority of heavy smokers remain cancer free. Is this a matter of chance, or are there cancer-resistant genotypes? Based on the evidence discussed, it would appear that evolution has favored a limited number of relatively common resistance genes that may nip incipient cancerous foci in the bud, i.e., to stop them at their inception. It is further suggested that resistance genes may act at the level of tissue organization in a dominant fashion.

Footnotes

  • 1E-mail: georg.klein{at}ki.se

  • Author contributions: G.K. performed research and wrote the paper.

  • The author declares no conflict of interest.

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  1. Published online before print January 7, 2009, doi: 10.1073/pnas.0811616106 PNAS January 20, 2009 vol. 106 no. 3 859-863
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