Discovery of gene causing pancreatic cancer

Australian scientists have discovered a series of mutated genes that cause pancreatic cancer. The discovery could lead to better detection and treatment of the disease.

Pancreatic cancer is a very dangerous disease and has the highest mortality rate among all cancers. Patients often die within 1 month of being diagnosed.

Professor Andrew Biankin of the Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Garvin Institute, Sydney, co-author of this research program, said that treating pancreatic cancer is a battle against time.

“With other cancers, you have a standard treatment regimen that works for maybe 20% of patients. If it doesn’t work, three months later you try another treatment regimen. But with pancreatic cancer, you only have one chance.”

Pancreatic cancer is caused by a series of mutated genes.

Professor Biankin and Professor Sean Grimmond of the University of Queensland's Institute for Molecular Biology, along with a team of researchers, analysed the genes of 100 pancreatic tumours and compared them with normal tissue to see the genetic changes that cause the cancer.

“We found that ‘pancreatic cancer’ is not just one disease but many, and people with the same disease may need different treatment regimens.”

A patient's cell profile will help doctors find the most effective treatment.

Mr. Biankin said the results of DNA research from tumors and patients will be uploaded to a global database (International Cancer Genome Consortium).

According to dantri - QN