Driver

Driver is a term used in various contexts in the medical field. It can refer to a gene or a mutation that drives the progression of a disease, particularly cancer. It can also refer to a factor that drives the spread of disease in a population.

Definition

A driver in the context of medicine is a gene or mutation that has been identified as a major contributor to the progression of a disease. This term is most commonly used in the field of oncology, where driver mutations are those that give cancer cells a growth advantage over normal cells. These mutations are the "drivers" of the cancer's growth and progression.

Driver Genes and Mutations

In cancer biology, a driver gene is a gene that, when altered or mutated, contributes to the development of cancer. These genes can be divided into two main categories: oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Oncogenes, when mutated, can promote cell growth and proliferation, while mutations in tumor suppressor genes can remove the normal constraints on cell growth.

Driver Diseases

In epidemiology, a driver disease is a disease that significantly influences the health status of a population. These diseases can drive changes in public health policy and healthcare resource allocation.

See Also

• Oncogene
• Tumor suppressor gene
• Epidemiology
• Public health

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