Can balanced translocation cause cancer?

Depending on the chromosome breakpoints, a translocation can result in the disruption or misregulation of normal gene function. These molecular rearrangements, in many cases, are considered to be the primary cause of various cancers.

What can unbalanced translocation cause?

A child who has an unbalanced translocation may have learning disabilities, developmental delay and health problems. The seriousness of the disability depends on exactly which parts of which chromosomes are involved and how much missing or extra chromosome material there is.

How does translocation lead to cancer?

Chromosomal translocations are favored in neighboring chromosomes or genes in spatial proximity within the nucleus. Chromosomal translocations leading to cancer are generally via two ways, formation of oncogenic fusion protein or oncogene activation by a new promoter or enhancer.

How does unbalanced translocation affect humans?

Reciprocal translocations Such translocations are usually harmless and may be found through prenatal diagnosis. However, carriers of balanced reciprocal translocations have increased risks of creating gametes with unbalanced chromosome translocations, leading to Infertility, miscarriages or children with abnormalities.

What causes a translocation?

Translocation Down syndrome is a type of Down syndrome that is caused when one chromosome breaks off and attaches to another chromosome. In this case, there are three 21 chromosomes but one of the 21 chromosomes is attached to another chromosome.

How do you test for balanced translocation?

Most individuals with balanced translocation suffer no ill effects and are often undiagnosed until they suffer from problems with infertility. Balanced translocation errors are diagnosed through karyotyping. Blood samples are collected from each parent and analyzed for translocation.

How do I know if my translocation is balanced?

Sometimes a section from one chromosome of a particular pair changes places with a section from a chromosome of another pair. When the two breaks do not pass through a gene and there is no gain or loss of material when the chromosomes are looked at under a microscope, it is called a balanced translocation.

How common is unbalanced translocation?

This is because some parts of a particular chromosome(s) are more important than other parts. Unbalanced translocations are thought to account for approximately 1% of cases of developmental delay and intellectual disability (Weckselblatt 2015).

Why does translocation happen?

Translocations generally result from swapping of chromosomal arms between heterologous chromosomes and hence are reciprocal in nature (Figure 1) (8,9). DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are prerequisites for such translocations, although little is known about their generation.

How do you know if translocation is balanced?

What is an example of translocation?

The translocation in this example is between chromosomes 14 and 21. When a baby is born with this type of translocation chromosome in addition to one normal 14 and two normal 21 chromosomes, the baby will have Down syndrome. This is also called translocation Down syndrome.

How do you fix translocation?

There is no cure for balanced translocation, and in most cases, the only adverse effect on health is recurrent miscarriages. 1 For couples affected by balanced translocation, odds are in favor of a successful pregnancy at some point, but repeated miscarriages can obviously be difficult to cope with emotionally.

What is the difference between balanced and unbalanced translocations?

Balanced translocations: In a balanced translocation, equal parts of the two chromosomes are exchanged, so there is no extra or missing genetic information. Unbalanced translocations: In an unbalanced translocation, the exchange involves unequal portions of chromosome and leads to extra or missing genes.

How are translocations affect the risk of cancer?

To understand how translocations affect cancer risk it can help to understand a little about how genetic changes and mutations result in cancer. It’s thought that translocations may work by turning oncogenes (cancer-causing genes) on, or by turning tumor suppressor genes to the off position.

When do you have a balanced translocation of a chromosome?

When the two breaks do not pass through a gene and there is no gain or loss of material when the chromosomes are looked at under a microscope, it is called a balanced translocation.

Can a couple with a balanced translocation have a child?

Most men and women with a balanced translocation can and do have children. There are usually four possible outcomes when a couple with a balanced translocation tries for a baby. These outcomes will be more likely or less likely, depending on your particular translocation.