The significance of proto-oncogenes in carcinogenesis

Abstract

A survey of the literature on activated proto-oncogenes shows that they are involved in the development of cancer but apparently not in the initiation process. The review of Klein and Klein comes to conclusions in opposition to the review of Duesberg. I favor the latter here. Active proto-oncogenes may be part of the developmental process of carcinogenesis but are not initiators of carcinogenesis.