Concepts of Genetics 11th Edition by William Klug,Michael Cummings,Charlotte Spencer,Michael Palladino

Exercise 26

Mutations in tumor-suppressor genes are associated with many types of cancers. In addition, epigenetic changes (such as DNA methylation) of tumor-suppressor genes are also associated with tumorigenesis (Otani et al., 2013. Expert Rev Mol Diagn 13: 445-455).
(a) How might hypermethylation of the p53 gene promoter influence tumorigenesis?
(b) Knowing that tumors release free DNA into certain surrounding body fluids through necrosis and apoptosis (Kloten et al., 2013. Breast Cancer Res. 15(1): R4), outline an experimental protocol for using human blood as a biomarker for cancer and as a method for monitoring the progression of cancer in an individual.