Question

A student claims that cancers caused by exposure to carcinogens are heritable because having a family member with cancer increases the chances of developing cancer yourself.

Which statement provides the BEST peer feedback for the claims developed by the student?
A. The claim does not need revision because all cancers are heritable.
B. The claim needs revision because cancers due to carcinogen exposure are not heritable.
C. The claim needs revision because only cancers that cause mutations in gametes are heritable.
D. The claim does not need revision because exposure to carcinogens increases the odds of developing cancer.

Answer 1

Cancers caused by exposure to carcinogens are not heritable; only mutations in the gametes can be passed down. The claim requires revision to accurately reflect that some genetic predispositions to cancer are inheritable, such as BRCA gene mutations.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student's claim that cancers caused by exposure to carcinogens are heritable because having a family member with cancer increases the chances of developing cancer yourself requires revision. The most appropriate feedback would be: C. The claim needs revision because only cancers that cause mutations in gametes are heritable. While it is true that a family history of cancer can increase an individual's risk of developing cancer, cancers resulting from exposure to environmental carcinogens are not heritable, as heritability refers to genetic information passed down through the gametes (egg and sperm). However, certain genetic predispositions to cancer can be inherited. For example, mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes can be passed from parents to offspring, raising the risk of breast and ovarian cancers.

Answer 2

The claim needs revision because heritable cancers are caused by inherited mutations in germline cells, whereas cancers caused by carcinogens typically involve mutations in somatic cells, which are not heritable.

Therefore the correct answer is option B. The claim needs revision because cancers due to carcinogen exposure are not heritable.

Step-by-step explanation:

Your claim that cancers caused by exposure to carcinogens are heritable needs revision. While it is true that having a family member with cancer may increase your own chances of developing cancer, it is not because the cancers due to carcinogens are themselves heritable. Instead, cancers caused by carcinogens are a result of environmental factors causing mutations in your non-germline cells (the cells that do not contribute to reproduction). These mutations are not passed down to offspring. The increased risk in families is often due to inherited mutations in genes, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2, which may cause a higher susceptibility to cancer when exposed to environmental carcinogens. Therefore, the correct statement providing the best peer feedback for the claims developed is: 'C. The claim needs revision because only cancers that cause mutations in gametes are heritable.'

Carcinogenesis, also known as oncogenesis or tumorigenesis, involves complex interactions between an individual's genome and environmental triggers, such as exposure to carcinogens found in tobacco smoke, certain chemicals, and radiation. It is important to distinguish between heritable germline mutations and mutations in somatic cells which are not passed on to the next generation.