How Does DNA Repair Mechanism Affect Cancer Development?
The body has several DNA repair mechanisms to correct any errors that occur during DNA replication. These mechanisms include mismatch repair, base excision repair, and nucleotide excision repair. When these repair systems fail or become overwhelmed, the accumulation of genetic errors can lead to cancer. For example, people with Lynch syndrome have a defective mismatch repair system, increasing their risk of colorectal cancer.
