If CRISPR allows to target specific genes, and cancer occurs when cell’s DNA changes to multiply uncontrollably and refuse the immune system’s orders to die, why can’t we just use CRISPR to solve most of the cancers?

Question

I guess there could be many genes that affect the “grow uncontrollably” part or the “refuse to die” part, but can’t we just target all of them?

In: Biology

Answer 1

Ok, you can do that. You just need to identify the exact gene in every individual cancer patient that is causing the cancer patient (every cancer and cancer patient is different). Remember the human genome is 3 billion base pairs long, in which there can be thousands of mutations that don’t cause cancer at all, and most of these genes are aren’t even sure of what they do, or if they are even being expressed.

And then you need to deliver the crispr in such a way that it definitely reaches every single cancer cell, but doesn’t damage the DNA in any other healthy cells and possibly cause a new cancer