[Cancer-protecting genes (tumor-suppressor genes)].

Tumor-suppressor genes protect against the development of cancer. The prototypical tumor-suppressor gene is one that controls G1 to S progression in the cell cycle. However, genes that are involved in DNA-repair or induction of apoptosis also protect against the development of cancer. More generally speaking, tumor-suppressor genes either prevent the introduction of somatic mutations or the amplification of the population of somatic cells carrying mutations. Well-known tumor-suppressor genes that also give rise to inherited cancer disorders are described in the review.