Genetics of blood cancers and disorders

Cancers start when abnormal cells grow out of control. They are often named for where they start, like lung cancer. Most cancers are due to gene changes that happen during our life. Smoking or exposure to certain chemicals can increase our chance of getting cancer. But, most of the time, we don’t know what causes the gene changes that lead to cancer. Sometimes, direct DNA changes within genes can affect the proteins they make. Other times, DNA changes can occur in regions that control gene activity, which can affect how much protein is made. These determine if or how much of the protein to make. All these types of gene changes can cause problems. In this study, researchers will focus on blood cancers. They will use BioVU to look for people with blood cancers. Then they will check for DNA changes within these control regions. They will look for a link between these gene changes and certain types of blood cancers. The results of this study could help us learn more about cancer. It could also help us learn who might be at risk and how to better treat certain types of cancers.