Professor Theodor Boveri from the University of Wurzburg in Germany is considered to be the first man who made the association between cancer and human chromosome in 1902. He thought that a change or change in one or more chromosome might be the starting point for the development of Cancer. It took more than half a century to substantiate his theory.
From 1902 till 1959 his theory did not catch any public eye because of hardly any ground facts to back it up. This changed in 1959 when Peter Nowell and David A Hungerford opened a new page in cancer research with the discovery of Philadelphia chromosome.
Over the many years cancer has remained a mystery to the scientific world but now we at least know that the human genome plays a significant role in the genesis of the disease. With numerous carcinogens in the environment some are prone to the development of cancer while others are not. Chromosome study of cancer cells show a marked variation in the number as well as structure of chromosome. Analysis of variety of tumour cells has revealed that certain chromosome are involved in certain cancers.
Variation in the number and structure of chromosome was seen in 1960 by Peter Nowell and David A Hungerford that discovered a small chromosome in patients with CML. This chromosome was later then called the Philadelphia chromosome. Formation of the Philadelphia chromosome involved the translocation between the long arm of chromosome 22 and long arm of chromosome 9. This results in shorter chromosome called the Philadelphia chromosome.
Chromosome carry hereditary factors or genes. Well like it or not the above theory is true. You are made up of your genes, Your gene pool is important but not very important in the sense as far i know intelligence of the respective parent cannot be inherited. I still remember the movie The Patriot in which Mel Gibson says that the children are raised of Good stock. In my opinion genes i guess it may make your children good fighters. I liked the scene when all together beat the British in a gun battle when Heath Ledger was kidnapped. For me whenever i hear of the Gorkha regiment i think few people are born with fighting skills.. No wonder Gorkhas are preferred world over in respective armies. England for sure knows that and has its own Gorkha regiment. I guess makes it one of the many European nations to have Asian fighters, In short born with fighting skills can land you a job in the army.
Everything has good and bad embedded in it. In short if one can be a good fighter because of his family one can even die early because of his family. The theory of Theodor Boveri makes absolute sense today when we come across familial cancers.
1. Several First or Second degree relatives show a common cancer. eg breast, ovary, bowel and endometrial cancer. Most of these cancers occur at specific sites but there are some families in which these cancers occur at different sites in various members of the family or at more than one individual site. Anyways such families are referred to as familial cancer predisposing syndrome. Cancer in the family is definitely not a good sign for the future progeny which makes it very clear that you are made up of your genes.
2. Few familial cancers occurring at specific sites Breast and Ovary - Chromosome 17Q - Gene BRCA. Adenomatous Polyposis - Chromosome 5q - Gene APC.
3. Apart from that population genetics puts one at risk for various life style disorders.
After seeing this i guess the concept of Eugenics should make a strong stand. It was introduced by F Galton in 1883. One can establish best characters in a population by selective breeding. However social cultural and ethical problems challenged the Human Eugenic movement. There are also difficulties posed even if one tries it. Selection of characters to be promoted in a population which determines the genetic diversity.
As a lay man and not a expert in Genetics so far Man has completed the Human Genome Project in which chromosomes and genes are thoroughly studied. I feel that over the course of time one will eventually figure out to reverse the cell cycle in a cancer patient.
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