Definition of Tumor suppressor gene
Tumor suppressor gene: A protective gene that normally limits the growth of tumors. When a tumor suppressor gene is mutated (altered), it may fail to keep a cancer from growing.
BRCA1, an example of a tumor suppressor gene, was the first breast cancer gene to be identified; mutated forms of this gene are responsible for some cases of inherited breast cancer, especially those that occur in younger women.
Source: MedTerms™ Medical Dictionaryhttp://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=11940
Last Editorial Review: 9/20/2012
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