A group of researchers from the World Health Organisation’s International Agency (WHO) for Research on Cancer has identified two genes that reportedly increase an individual’s chances of developing certain forms of lung cancer by as much as 60%, according to a study published in Nature Genetics journal.
According to Paul Brennan, a cancer epidemiologist with WHO, certain types of DNA make a person more or less likely to develop certain types of cancer.
“The idea is if you can identify genes then that might indicate why people develop lung cancer,” said Brennan.
The research compiled by WHO said that their most recent findings are relevant for people who have a history of cigarette smoking, as well as people who have never smoked. People who smoke are considered to be at a heightened risk of developing lung cancer.
Cigarette smokers may not be surprised to receive a diagnosis of lung cancer, but for people who have never smoked, a lung cancer diagnosis is often puzzling – how did they develop this disease? The answer, according to researchers, may be genetics.
Brennan stated that the WHO research team looked at genes “that everybody has” in an effort to figure out which genes may determine whether or not a person develops lung cancer. Two genes in particular, TERT and CRR9, which are located on the fifth chromosome, are believed to “boost” the chances of lung cancer. All human beings have the TERT gene, but its activities are suppressed until a tumor or growth forms.
Very little is known about CRR9, said Brennan, but they do know that the TERT (full name: telomerase reverse transcriptase) gene is a trigger for an enzyme known as telomerase, which is linked to aging and cancer development. Cancer in general is caused by DNA defects. Each chromosome, which is responsible for transporting DNA, has a small “cap” on each end called a telomere. Every time that a cell divides, telomeres become worn, and when they are “too worn out” the cell will die. If a cell becomes cancerous, however, the telomeres produce telomerase, which essentially reactivates the telomere and leads to a rapid cell reproduction, ultimately leading to tumor development.
Understanding the CRR9 gene will take many more years of study, but some researchers believe that how a CRR9 gene behaves relates to gender and ethnicity.
When it comes to mesothelioma cancer, the discovery of TERT and CRR9 is very relevant. Individuals who are exposed to asbestos and also carry these particular genes are even more likely to develop pleural mesothelioma, a particularly aggressive and fatal form of cancer that affects the lungs.
By studying and understanding these genes, Brennan said, it will be easier to develop new cancer-fighting therapies.
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