Seven New Prostate Cancer Genetic Risk Factors Identified
10 February 2008 - Cancer Research UK-funded scientists at The Institute have found seven new sites in the human genome that are linked to men’s risk of developing prostate cancer.
The researchers, in conjunction with University of Cambridge scientists, found one gene called MSMB which could possibly be used in screening for prostate cancer and disease monitoring. Another of the sites harbours a gene called LMTK2 which might be a target for new treatments. The data suggests these newly identified genetic alterations are present in over half of all prostate cancer cases. They each increase a person’s risk of the disease by up to 60 percent.
The DNA of men thought to be at higher genetic risk of prostate cancer was scanned and then compared to a control group of men, and specific genetic variants were found more frequently in men with prostate cancer than in men without the disease.
Dr Ros Eeles, who led the study at The Institute of Cancer Research, said: “These exciting results will help us to more accurately calculate the risk of developing prostate cancer and may lead to the development of better targeted screening and treatment.”
There are probably many different factors that influence the development of prostate cancer, but particular combinations of genes are thought to play a major part. These results represent the largest number of genetic risk factors found in one genome-wide cancer study to date.
Fellow study author, Professor Doug Easton, director of Cancer Research UK’s Genetic Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge, continued: “In comparison with other cancers such as breast and lung cancer, we understand little about how prostate cancer develops. These results will greatly improve our knowledge of this important disease.”
Dr Ros Eeles leads the Translational Cancer Genetics Team in the Section of Cancer Genetics at The Institute which aims to translate laboratory findings in genetic predisposition to cancer, to the clinic.
