Genetic clues to prostate cancer:
Three teams of scientists have uncovered a number of genetic variations that can predict a carrier's risk of developing prostate cancer. The researchers, based in the US and Iceland, have uncovered seven ‘single letter changes’ in the genetic code, which together predict more than a fivefold increased risk for prostate cancer. The studies appeared in the May 2007 issue of the journal Nature Genetics.
The new studies shed light on the genetic basis of a disease, which, despite intense research, has previously remained a mystery. 'It gives us the first real insight we've had into the cause of prostate cancer and how we might do something about it', said Dr Brian Henderson, Dean of the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California.
The high risk variants are found at a much higher frequency in African-American men, which may go some way to explaining the fact that they are twice as likely to die from the disease, compared to other ethnic groups. 'The disease's greater prevalence among African-Americans had hinted at some sort of a genetic basis for it', said Henderson, adding 'and our findings here, in this study, suggest that a large fraction of the disparity between African-Americans and other populations could be due to genetic variation in this region'.
The studies have the potential to form the basis of a predictive genetic test, which could be used to screen high-risk men for the early signs of prostate cancer. Despite being the second largest cause of male death in Britain, mortality rates are falling due to improved screening.
The new studies shed light on the genetic basis of a disease, which, despite intense research, has previously remained a mystery. 'It gives us the first real insight we've had into the cause of prostate cancer and how we might do something about it', said Dr Brian Henderson, Dean of the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California.
The high risk variants are found at a much higher frequency in African-American men, which may go some way to explaining the fact that they are twice as likely to die from the disease, compared to other ethnic groups. 'The disease's greater prevalence among African-Americans had hinted at some sort of a genetic basis for it', said Henderson, adding 'and our findings here, in this study, suggest that a large fraction of the disparity between African-Americans and other populations could be due to genetic variation in this region'.
The studies have the potential to form the basis of a predictive genetic test, which could be used to screen high-risk men for the early signs of prostate cancer. Despite being the second largest cause of male death in Britain, mortality rates are falling due to improved screening.
Sources:
Genetic links to prostate cancer: Reuters: 1/4/07
Genome-wide association study identifies a second prostate cancer susceptibility variant at 8q24: Nature Genetics: 1/5/07
Multiple regions within 8q24 independently affect risk for prostate cancer: Nature Genetics: 1/5/07
Genome-wide association study of prostate cancer identifies a second risk locus at 8q24: Nature Genetics: 1/5/07