PET PET
  • My Account
  • Subscribe
Become a Friend Donate
  • About Us
    • People
    • Press Office
    • Our History
  • Get Involved
    • Become a Friend of PET
    • Volunteer
    • Campaigns
    • Writing Scheme
    • Partnership and Sponsorship
    • Advertise with Us
  • Donate
    • Become a Friend of PET
  • BioNews
    • News
    • Comment
    • Reviews
    • Elsewhere
    • Topics
    • Glossary
    • Newsletters
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Previous Events
  • Engagement
    • Policy and Projects
      • Resources
    • Education
  • Jobs & Opportunities
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
    • People
    • Press Office
    • Our History
  • Get Involved
    • Become a Friend of PET
    • Volunteer
    • Campaigns
    • Writing Scheme
    • Partnership and Sponsorship
    • Advertise with Us
  • Donate
    • Become a Friend of PET
  • BioNews
    • News
    • Comment
    • Reviews
    • Elsewhere
    • Topics
    • Glossary
    • Newsletters
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Previous Events
  • Engagement
    • Policy and Projects
      • Resources
    • Education
  • Jobs & Opportunities
  • Contact Us
  • My Account
  • Subscribe
  • Privacy Statement
  • Advertising Policy
  • Thanks and Acknowledgements
PETBioNewsNewsAggressive prostate cancer gene identified

BioNews

Aggressive prostate cancer gene identified

Published 31 August 2018 posted in News and appears in BioNews 965

Author

Isobel Steer

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.

Finnish researchers have identified two possible mutations in one gene that are both correlated with prostate cancer...

Finnish researchers have identified two possible mutations in one gene that are both correlated with prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is the sixth most common cause of male cancer-related death worldwide. Heritability is estimated to make up 57 percent of the risk but few biomarkers are available to diagnose aggressive disease. Identifying relevant mutations could improve diagnostic tests.

'Those with the more aggressive forms of prostate cancer have the bleakest outcome but if we can devise tests to diagnose them early on, we can do more to ensure they receive the best possible treatment,' Helen Rippon, chief executive of the Worldwide Cancer Research charity, which helped fund the study, told the Times.

Over 100 susceptibility mutations had already been identified in the human genome, but only a few have been shown to affect disease severity and outcome. 

In recent research, published in the International Journal of Cancer, a Finnish research team sequenced a gene called ANO7 that they suspected was involved in prostate cancer. The researchers used DNA samples from over 1700 Finnish prostate cancer patients alongside samples from a similar number of unaffected men. The results were validated against a larger sample group of over 5000 Swedish and Norwegian patients and 1400 further controls.

Within ANO7, the scientists found one mutation that correlated with an increased risk of developing prostate cancer, as well as disease severity. A second mutation correlated with shorter survival time. 

Additionally, 22 prostate tumour samples were analysed for ANO7 gene expression. Gene expression was found to be highly raised in prostate cancer tumours compared with normal prostate tissue, and higher expression correlated with patient mortality rate. 

'Genetic testing for ANO7 could help identify these patients sooner and may bring new opportunities for precision oncology in prostate cancer,' said lead author Professor Johanna Schleutker of the Institute of Biomedicine of the University of Turku. 

One limitation of the study is that the subjects were all Northern European Caucasian patients. The researchers suggested that people of other ethnic backgrounds should also be studied before screening for ANO7 can be recommended. 

Related Articles

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.
News
8 January 2021 • 2 minutes read

Genetic basis discovered for the higher risk of prostate cancer in black men

by Dr Melania Montes Pérez

Black men present genetic variations that make them more vulnerable than white men to developing prostate cancer research revealed...

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.
News
10 May 2019 • 2 minutes read

Prostate cancer gene mutation raises risk of death by threefold

by Dr Charlott Repschläger

A mutation that raises a prostate cancer patient's risk of death by threefold has been discovered...

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.
News
9 November 2018 • 2 minutes read

Cancer blood test detects tumours by size of DNA fragments

by Isobel Steer

A test has been developed that can detect at least eight different types of cancer, by characterising the size of tumour DNA fragments in the blood...

Image by Christoph Bock/Max Planck Institute for Informatics via Wikimedia Commons. Depicts a DNA molecule that is methylated on both strands on the centre cytosine.
CC BY-SA 3.0
Image by Christoph Bock/Max Planck Institute for Informatics via Wikimedia Commons. Depicts a DNA molecule that is methylated on both strands on the centre cytosine.
News
19 October 2018 • 2 minutes read

Epigenetic test sorts fatal from manageable prostate cancer

by Isobel Steer

Researchers have identified a DNA methylation signature that can identify aggressive prostate cancer, with up to 92 percent accuracy...

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.
News
24 August 2018 • 2 minutes read

First genomics study of African women may help fight breast cancer

by Dr Katie Howe

Genome sequencing has been used to shed light on the genetic causes of breast cancer in African woman and develop a model to predict breast cancer risk...

PET BioNews
News
24 August 2018 • 2 minutes read

Vaping may damage DNA, raising risk of cancer

by Martha Henriques

Electronic cigarettes may alter the DNA in users' mouths, potentially increasing their risk of cancer if the damage is not repaired, a preliminary study has found...

PET BioNews
News
3 August 2018 • 2 minutes read

New class of drug puts cancer cells to sleep

by Dr Jamie Heather

Australian researchers have developed a new kind of anti-cancer drug, which halted cancer cells in their tracks in mice...

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

« Birth defect in boys linked to cancer and infertility

Data-Label The UK's Leading Supplier Of Medical Labels & Asset Labels

RetiringDentist.co.uk The UK's Leading M&A Company.

Find out how you can advertise here
easyfundraising
amazon

This month in BioNews

  • Popular
  • Recent
13 June 2022 • 2 minutes read

Drop in diversity of blood stem cells leads to old-age health issues

1 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

First UK medical guidelines issued for trans fertility preservation

1 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Common virus may be cause of recent hepatitis cases in children

1 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Male age has more impact on IVF birth rate than previously thought

1 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

CRISPR genome editing treatments may raise cancer risk

1 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Differences in IVF-conceived children's size disappear by adolescence

Subscribe to BioNews and other PET updates for free.

Subscribe
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • RSS
Wellcome
Website redevelopment supported by Wellcome.

Website by Impact Media Impact Media

  • Privacy Statement
  • Advertising Policy
  • Thanks and Acknowledgements

© 1992 - 2022 Progress Educational Trust. All rights reserved.

Limited company registered in England and Wales no 07405980 • Registered charity no 1139856

Subscribe to BioNews and other PET updates for free.

Subscribe
PET PET

PET is an independent charity that improves choices for people affected by infertility and genetic conditions.

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • RSS
Wellcome
Website redevelopment supported by Wellcome.

Navigation

  • About Us
  • Get Involved
  • Donate
  • BioNews
  • Events
  • Engagement
  • Jobs & Opportunities
  • Contact Us

BioNews

  • News
  • Comment
  • Reviews
  • Elsewhere
  • Topics
  • Glossary
  • Newsletters

Other

  • My Account
  • Subscribe

Website by Impact Media Impact Media

  • Privacy Statement
  • Advertising Policy
  • Thanks and Acknowledgements

© 1992 - 2022 Progress Educational Trust. All rights reserved.

Limited company registered in England and Wales no 07405980 • Registered charity no 1139856