William Atkins
Wednesday, 07 January 2009 21:03
Science -
Biology
Page 1 of 3
Mutations in the metadherin (MTDH) gene have been found to increase the risk of the various forms of breast cancer, according to U.S. researchers from Princeton University and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.
Breast cancers vary in how easily they are treated or how deadly they can become. Some are easily treated (even in later stages) while others resist treatment (even in early stages).
Scientists previously knew that such differences occurred due to the ability of cancerous breast cells to spread (metastasize) into other organs of the human body.
The scientists of this study were led by Robert A. Chong, of the Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University (New Jersey), Qifeng Yang, of the Department of Radiation Oncology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (New Brunswick), and Yibin Kang, of both universities mentioned above.
They found that the gene metadherin (MTDH) can mutate to cause breast cancers to become more deadly and more resistant to treatment.
Dr. Kang stated,
“This study shows that the two evil faces of cancer may be linked by a special class of dual-functional genes. By targeting this type of gene, we may be able to kill two birds with one stone: Increase the efficacy of chemotherapy, and at the same time reduce the risk of metastasis.” [The Daily Princetonian (1-7-09): “
University researchers discover breast cancer gene”]
The MTDH gene, which appears in about one-third of all breast cancer cases, is now thought to be very important in the future diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, along with possible prevention of the disease.
The study appears in the January 6, 2009 issue (volume 15, issue 1, pages 9-20) of the journal
Cancer Cell.
Page two goes into more details of their research into the important discovery for breast cancer.
