New Genes That Cause Cancer

New genes responsible for tumor cell mutations genetic analysis revealed more than 20 types of cancer cells, thus increasing by 25 % in the list of the "culprit" cancer genes.

As mentioned in a related article in the journal Nature, researchers at the Institute for Broad, who has emerged from the collaboration of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology ( MIT ) and Harvard University led by Dr. Eric Lander , analyzed the genome of tumor 4,750 patients revealing many new genes involved in cancer.

The last 30 years have been identified approximately 135 genes that play an important role in the creation of one or more of 21 different types of tumors . The new analysis confirmed the role of known genes and added to the list of " guilty " other 33 genes . So the scientists make one more step closer to creating a more complete picture of the genetic profile of cancer.

"For the first time , we know what it takes to have a comprehensive picture of the gene of human cancer ," explains Dr. Lander.

The researchers calculate that for the full "genetic map " of cancer , you need to analyze averaged 2,000 samples from each of the approximately 50 different types of tumors present , a total study sample of approximately 100,000 patients.

"Given that in the world there are about 32 million people with cancer , this number ( pp. 100,000 ) to study, it seems very reasonable ," notes Dr. Gad Gketz by the Institute Broad.