Cancer research breakthrough

Cancer research breakthrough: "Cancer research breakthrough

[Posted: Fri 08/09/2006]

New research has identified the majority of the mutated genes that cause breast and colorectal cancers. This finding could eventually lead to new ways to diagnose and treat two of these two cancers.

The research, which has identified the first genetic map for these cancers, has been described by experts as 'groundbreaking' and 'truly remarkable'.

The researchers say the new finding help adjust cancer treatment for each patient and treat their cancer more effectively.

The scientists at Johns Hopkins at Baltimore expected to find a small number of cancer-causing cells. Instead, they found nearly 200. Breast and colorectal cancer are major killers of women in Ireland and worldwide.

In the past, chemotherapy for cancer has attacked both cancerous and healthy cells. Newer treatments have targeted specific cancer genes.

These therapies, however, only work with a small proportion of cancer patients and it is known that many more genes are responsible for cancer developing.

The new discovery, it is hoped to tackle more genes and a larger number of patients, in addition to making therapy more personalised according to a person’s genetic make-up.

In Ireland there are 2,000 new cases of breast cancer each year and 600 deaths, while one in 20 Irish men and one in 32 women will develop colorectal cancer.

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