One hypothesis about why melanoma and lung cancer respond best to PD - 1 inhibitors is that these two cancer types tend to have more
mutations than other cancers.
Not exact matches
Mutations in the genes that defend the body against
cancer - related viruses and
other infections may play a larger role in breast
cancer than previously thought, according to a study at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
The researchers studied whether family members who have not inherited the
mutation have any higher
than normal risk of developing melanoma or
other cancers.
A recent study found that more
cancer mutations are caused by these random mistakes
than other factors, such as environment or inheritance, Tina Hesman Saey reported in «DNA errors play big role in
cancer» (SN: 4/15/17, p. 6).
«And they will tell me, «OK, Marcelo, you have a bad
mutation over there, so you will be at risk to have more
cancer than other people» — so it's my decision to accept that level of risk.»
If the genetic
mutation that gives people with Laron syndrome their short stature also protects them against two of the most pernicious diseases of aging, diabetes and
cancer, then it prompts two obvious questions: What
other diseases might the
mutation protect against, and do people who carry the
mutation in fact live longer
than their unaffected peers?
By picking out people with the
mutation from a large population and then examining their lifestyles and family histories, researchers hope to be able to identify factors
other than the
mutation that are also linked to breast
cancer.
Mass General geneticist Dora Dias - Santagata explains that she and
other pathologists at the hospital's Translational Research Laboratory examine patients» tumors for more
than 150
cancer - inducing
mutations.
For example, HPV - inactive tumors were 17 times more likely to contain TP53 gene
mutations — which are common in
other cancer types —
than HPV - active cervical
cancers.
The National
Cancer Institute estimates no more
than 10 percent of all breast
cancers are due to inherited gene
mutations such as BRCA1 or 2 (there are
others).
The programme conducts more
than 2,000 genetic studies annually to determine
mutations in the BRCA1 / 2 genes and in
other genes known to be related to breast
cancer.
* The fact is that because
cancer cells reproduce more rapidly
than any
other cell in the body,
mutations occur in
cancer cells in far greater numbers.