Final answer:
A gene that causes cancer when mutated is known as an oncogene, with BRCA1, BRCA2, and TP53 being well-known examples. Mutations in these genes can lead to unregulated cell growth and cancer.
Step-by-step explanation:
The name given to a gene that can cause cancer when mutated is an oncogene. Typically, these genes are involved in cell growth and regulation. However, when certain mutations occur, they become oncogenes that promote unregulated cell proliferation, leading to cancer. Examples of such genes include the well-known BRCA1 and BRCA2, which are associated with an increased risk of breast and ovarian cancers, and TP53, which encodes the tumor suppressor protein p53. Mutations in the TP53 gene are found in approximately half of all human cancers and are also linked to Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS), which presents a personal lifetime risk of cancer close to 100%. On the other hand, tumor suppressor genes like p53 typically act to prevent cancer by regulating cell growth and promoting apoptosis, but when mutated, they fail to control abnormal cells, paving the way for cancer development.