Mrs. Jones is exposed to high-energy solar radiation. She develops skin cancer as a result of a mutation in skin cells. A physician removes the cancerous cells, and Mrs. Jones's good health is restored. Then Mrs. Jones becomes pregnant with her first child.Is the child at risk for inheriting the mutation that caused the skin cancer in her mother?a.Yes. The child has a 50 percent chance of inheriting the mutated DNA that caused the cancer.b.Yes. The child is at risk for inheriting the mutated DNA, although the percentage of the risk cannot be estimated.c.No. The mutation occurred in skin cells and not the ovaries, where egg cells are generated.d.No. The skin cancer wascured, so mutated DNA in the ovaries was removed.
