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
PETBioNewsNewsProstate cancer study picks out 23 risk genes

BioNews

Prostate cancer study picks out 23 risk genes

Published 15 September 2014 posted in News and appears in BioNews 771

Author

Dr Anna Cauldwell

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.

Twenty-three genetic variants associated with increased risk of prostate cancer have been identified in a new study, bringing the total number of susceptibility variants for the disease to 100...

Twenty-three genetic variants associated with increased risk of prostate
cancer
have been identified in a new study, bringing the total number of
susceptibility variants for the disease to 100.

Testing for
these variants could identify the one percent of men with a six-fold higher-than-average
risk of developing the disease. These men may then benefit from access to
regular screening or targeted treatment should they develop cancer.

Professor Malcolm Mason, prostate cancer expert for Cancer Research UK, which helped fund the research, said the study 'continues a quest
to unravel the complex picture of the genetic factors that increase a man's
risk of prostate cancer'.

The 77 genetic variants identified previously through genome-wide association studies were
mainly identified in populations of European decent. This study
compared genetic variants from populations with
European, African, Japanese and Latino ancestry for the first time. In total, the
researchers analysed over 10 million single nucleotide polymorphisms) in over 87,000 men.

The findings, published in the journal Nature Genetics, identified 16 new genetic variants associated
with increased prostate cancer risk in European men and seven in men of mixed
heritage. One variant was linked to increased risk of early-onset disease. The
culmination of these and previous findings mean that scientists can now explain
a third of the inherited risk of prostate cancer in European men.

Professor Ros Eeles from the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in the UK,
a lead author of the study, said: 'We know that there are a few
major genes that are rare and significantly affect prostate cancer risk, but
what we are now learning is that there are many other common genetic variants
that individually have only a small effect on risk, but collectively can be
very important. To use the playing cards analogy, sometimes multiple low
cards can combine to form a high risk score'.

This study adds
to a growing body of evidence supportive of genetic screening for prostate
cancer risk. Earlier this year scientists at the ICR developed a screening test to identify men who are most likely to develop an aggressive form of prostate
cancer (see BioNews 743) and researchers
in Toronto presented a genetic test to help predict the likelihood of prostate
cancer returning after treatment (see BioNews 750).

Dr Matthew Hobbs, deputy
director of research at Prostate
Cancer UK
, which also helped
fund the study, said: 'There's no
doubt that genetic testing for prostate cancer is an exciting area of research.
The results of this study could take us a step closer to targeted screening by
allowing us to identify those most at risk of the disease based on the genes
that they possess'.

A clinical
trial, called BARCODE, which aims to genetically screen 5,000 men for prostate
cancer, will now investigate if the new genetic markers can improve on other
tests for the disease.

The research
was a collaboration between the ICR, the University of Cambridge and the University
of Southern California in the USA.

Related Articles

PET BioNews
News
31 August 2017 • 2 minutes read

Liquid biopsy may help target prostate cancer treatment

by Charlotte Spicer

A new three-in-one blood test could progress personalised treatment for patients with prostate cancer...

PET BioNews
News
15 July 2016 • 2 minutes read

Gene-targeted ovarian cancer drug also treats prostate cancer

by Dr Jane Currie

A drug that targets genetic mutations in ovarian cancer has been found to work in men with prostate cancer with similar mutations, according to a new study...

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
18 December 2015 • 3 minutes read

'Suicide gene therapy' for prostate cancer shows promise

by Dr Lone Hørlyck

A treatment for prostate cancer, combining radiotherapy and a new type of gene therapy, is both safe and effective, a study has found...

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
3 August 2015 • 2 minutes read

There are five types of prostate cancer, say scientists

by Kirsty Oswald

Researchers have found that prostate cancer can be divided into five subgroups with distinct genetic fingerprints...

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
12 January 2015 • 2 minutes read

Just plain bad luck? Stem cell division rates play major role in cancer risk

by Kirsty Oswald

Researchers have estimated that around 65 percent of variation in cancer rates between tissue types is related to the number of stem cell divisions, explaining why cancer occurs more commonly in some parts of the body than others...

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
11 April 2014 • 2 minutes read

Gene test can predict prostate cancer recurrence

by Simon Hazelwood-Smith

A genetic test has been developed to predict the likelihood of prostate cancer returning after treatment. The test looks for 'genetic signatures' often found in recurring cancers...

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
21 February 2014 • 2 minutes read

Genetic screen for prostate cancer on horizon

by Julianna Photopoulos

Genetic screening could help identify men who are most likely to develop an aggressive form of prostate cancer, a study shows...

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
15 April 2013 • 2 minutes read

Prostate cancer gene study should change treatment approach, say scientists

by James Brooks

Prostate cancer patients who have inherited a well-known gene mutation are more likely to develop an aggressive form of the disease, a study shows...

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
11 October 2012 • 2 minutes read

Prostate cancer blood test that 'reads genetic changes like a barcode' trialled successfully

by Julianna Photopoulos

Scientists have developed a 'barcode' blood test that reads genetic changes to pick out the most aggressive prostate cancers...

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

« Activated gene extends life by a third - in fruit flies

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