Oncogenes: role in the development of cancerAn oncogene is a gene whose main function is to potentially cause cancer in the cell cycle. A normal cell turns into a cancer cell when cellular proteins involved in regulating cell division are no longer able to facilitate progression from one stage of the cell cycle to the next. Cancer cells do not lack function but reproduce at an abnormally high rate, bypassing the limits of the cell cycle. Cancer cells, with the function provided by oncogenes, have increased mobility to grow and divide, produce abundant cell layers, require fewer nutrients, and overcome cell cycle restrictions. Oncogenes encode proteins involved in the cell cycle that also stimulate cell growth and division. These proteins accelerate the cell cycle by allowing cells to move directly from G0 or G1 phase to S phase or mitosis. One particular method involves binding cell surface receptors to growth factors. Growth factors include either proteins that interact with DNA to begin replication or signaling molecules that link receptors to initiate replication.1Conversion of a proto-oncogene to an oncogeneIn a normal cell, the Genes encoding proteins that control cell division and growth are called proto. -oncogenes. However, a mutation can permanently activate both active and inactive proteins. This process results in the development of an oncogene, which contains protein products that facilitate tumor growth.1 Most human tumors are monoclonal, indicating that they arise from a single aberrant cell. There are numerous pathways leading to the transformation of a proto-oncogene into an oncogene. First, the ras proto-oncogene may be... middle of article ...... in Burkitt's lymphoma, lead to the conversion of a proto-oncogene to an oncogene.7Other forms of human cancer involving oncogenes are neuroblastoma. and breast cancer. In patients with neuroblastoma, there is a significant presence of N-myc proto-oncogene abnormalities associated with oncogene conversion. In neuroplastic cells, there is an abnormal increase in the N-myc gene resulting from gene amplification, that is, the repetition of DNA sequences several times. Additionally, breast cancer is also caused by gene amplification leading to the development of oncogenes. Gene amplification of the c-erb B-2 proto-oncogene results in increased production of the c-erb B-2 protein.7 In both of these cases, the oncogenes bypass the G phases and proceed directly to the S phase or mitosis, triggering abnormal phenomena. cell proliferation not hindered by cell growth regulation.