The Within By Reyes Abila, illustration by Susan Douglass Cancer is an insidious predator, creeping along silently, stealthily. The UT Southwestern Familial Cancer Registry is arresting this predator's progress by deciphering the genes in families that lead to the same kinds of cancers generation after generation.
Most predators are giants compared to their prey.
But those inside the human body are tiny, virtually invisible entities called mutant cells. We seldom know when we are under attack by these genetically altered cells until they manifest themselves in physical symptoms, like cancerous lesions or lumps. The race to find genes that change otherwise normal cells into potential killers is a top priority for researchers at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. In the case of breast cancer, UT Southwestern scientists and their colleagues around the country have found some of the responsible genes. As it turns out, UT Southwestern researchers didn't have far to go to find the answer.