Exam 14: Molecular Oncology

Gene expression patterns are now used to characterize tumor types. What method is appropriate for analysis of expression of many genes simultaneously?

A patient's diagnosis is ataxia-telangiectasia. The physician wants to know if the patient has a mutation associated with increased risk for developing cancer. Which of the following genes should be examined for mutations in this patient?

Mutations in this gene are found in inherited multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) syndromes.

Mutations in the VHL gene are associated with what condition?

A patient with a family history of breast cancer wants to know her risk of having breast cancer. Which of the following genes should be analyzed in this patient?

What type of mutations usually occur in tumor suppressor genes in malignant cells?

Which of the following laboratory methods will give the most detailed information regarding whether TP53 mutations are present in a patient's tumor cells?

A patient is assessed for B-cell clonality by examining the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene rearrangements using PCR with primers complementary to the variable and joining regions of the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene. When the products are resolved by gel electrophoresis, the patient lane has a smear and does not have a sharp band. Controls were all acceptable. This result is interpreted as which of the following?

What genes are most likely mutated in inherited colon cancer with microsatellite instability?

T-cell receptor gene rearrangements were analyzed by PCR using forward and reverse primers complementary to the V_1 and J_1 regions, respectively, of the T-cell receptor gene region. The products were separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and bands visualized using ethidium bromide. The lane corresponding to the patient had a sharp band. All controls were acceptable. How is this result interpreted?

What do the products of the HER2/neu and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) genes have in common?

Malignant tissue originating in one organ (primary) site is isolated from a different organ. How would this malignancy be described?

Herceptin (trastuzumab) therapy works best on what tumors?

A patient is suspected of having follicular lymphoma, and his physician would like additional laboratory tests performed to confirm or rule out the diagnosis. Which of the following tests should be performed?

Leukemia and lymphoma are:

A PCR assay is performed on a patient with presumptive mantle cell lymphoma using primers against the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene and the cyclin D1 (CCND1) gene. Capillary gel electrophoresis was used for product detection, and the patient did not have a detectable PCR product. All controls were acceptable. Which of the following is the correct interpretation of this result?

Which of the following translocations results in the overexpression of the intact translocated gene as opposed to formation of an abnormally functional fusion protein?

This gene is frequently tested with K-ras and works on the same pathway downstream of K-ras in colon cancer.

What would be observed in the event of loss of heterozygosity?

Which of the following translocations is associated with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL)?