Apoptosis, genomic integrity, and cancer

the long version

Harmonious survival of the entire organism depends on the rigorous preservation of the controls that regulate the balance between the cell's replication and apoptosis. This balance depends largely, although not exclusively, on the integrity of the genome. Cancer is a flagrant illustration of the danger of imbalance between cell proliferation and cell death. As cells replicate unfettered by normal controls, they invade the surrounding healthy population of cells, and they colonize distant organs. This book introduces readers to the molecules involved in apoptosis and genomic integrity and considers the gain or loss of the functions that lead to cancer.