A recent study, published in Nature Genetics, has identified over 5,000 genetic variations that contribute to cancer growth.
- The research study also uncovered a potential therapeutic target for treating and possibly preventing certain cancers.
- The research focused on the BAP1 gene, known as a ‘tumor defense’ gene. Using an innovative technique called ‘saturation genome editing’, the team analyzed all 18,108 possible DNA changes in the BAP1 gene.
- They found that 5,665 of these changes were harmful, disrupting the protein’s protective effects against cancers of the eye, lung lining, brain, skin, and kidney.
- A key finding was the link between certain BAP1 variants and elevated levels of IGF-1, a hormone associated with cancer growth.
- This discovery paves the way for potential new treatments targeting IGF-1 to slow down or prevent cancer progression.
- This study was conducted by researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and the University of Cambridge.
