The repair of damage to DNA is critical to the survival of a cell. However, not all organisms
nor all individuals express a similar response to challenges to their genetic material.
Numerous polymorphisms in genes involved in DNA repair have been found in individuals
with DNA repair-related disease as well as in the general population. Studies of these
variants are critical in understanding the response of the cell to DNA damage. In some
cases, these changes predispose the carrier to a greatly increased risk of cancer. In other …