What do genetic mutations do?

Gene mutations can cause healthy cells to:

Promote rapid growth:

Mutations can cause cells to grow and divide more quickly, resulting in more cells containing the same mutation.

Prevent abnormal growth:

Cancer cells lose the control mechanisms (tumor suppressor genes) that normally signal cells to grow. Mutations in these genes lead to uncontrolled growth.

Make DNA repair errors:

DNA repair genes are responsible for correcting mistakes in a cell’s DNA. When these genes mutate, the mistakes are not corrected, resulting in cancerous cells.