Role of Gap-Junctional Communication in Breast Cancer Progression and Chemoprevention

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Abstract
Although the etiology of breast cancer is varied, it is likely that the modulation of oncogene and tumor suppressor gene expression may play an important role in mammary tumorigenesis. Consistent with this possibility is the finding of gene amplification or the enhanced expression of various oncogenes in primary human breast tumors and breast tumor cell lines (Callahan 1987, Callahan and Campbell 1989). Overall, these human tissue and animal studies suggest that mammary tumors arise in a multistep process and may involve the activation and inactivation of multiple oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes.