Question #1: Tumor Viruses and our Current Understanding of Cancer
How did work with tumor viruses pave the way to understanding oncogenes, tumor suppressors, and the role of pleiotropy in tumor formation? (Note: This is a BIG PICTURE question. Please choose one specific aspect of this question to address, and collectively as class we should be able to cover a lot of ground).
(Refer to Dalton-Griffin and Kellam 2009)
Question #2: How many cancers are caused by viruses?
According to the text, the development of a majority of human tumors has not been associated with tumor viruses. Argue whether you agree or disagree with this statement. Do additional tumor virus/carcinogenesis relationships remain to be discovered, or did early work with tumor viruses simply act as a starting point for identifying proto-oncogenes?
(Refer to Gazdar et al. 2002 and Scudellari 2013, they may spark some thoughts)
Question #3: Chromosomal abnormalities and tumor specificity?
Why are some chromosomal regions amplified/deleted in a specific manner in certain tumor types? Why do some chromosomes display a higher incidence of amplification/deletion compared to others (see Figure 4.6 as one example)? (Hint: The answer to this is not really known, I am looking for you to think outside the box and offer some informed speculation! (Could be fun if you are feeling imaginative this week).
(Refer to Santarius et al. 2010)
Question #4: Write your own!
Don’t like these questions? Write your own! (but please stay on topic) Your original question should address at least one of the articles from the additional reading list.