Oct. 4, 2000--
Utah researchers have discovered the gene which predisposes men to prostate cancer.
Science Specialist Ed Yeates reports.
Facts About Prostate Cancer
- Expected new cases this year: 180,400
- Expected deaths this year: 31,900
- Second leading cause of cancer death among men in the U.S.
- More Info
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Scientists at Myriad Genetics at the U. of U. Research Park, made the discovery using what they call the unmatched genealogical resources of Utah families.
Politicians, movie stars, industrialists - it really doesn't matter what station in life, prostate cancer hits them all. It's the number two cancer killer in men - and for researchers - the most difficult to match up with a gene.
But scientists at Myriad Genetics in Salt Lake have discovered the first one - a gene that could now serve as a marker - identifying family members at risk.
Having the gene doesn't necessarily mean a man will get prostate cancer - but it does increase his risk by as much as 80 percent. That's why it's called a predisposition gene.
Myriad hopes to use this discovery to help men identify their risk for prostate cancer early in life.
Dr. Sean Tavtigian/Dir. of Cancer Research, Myriad Genetics: "AND THERE'S EVERY REASON IN THE WORLD TO THINK THAT WITHIN A YEAR OR TWO THAT WE OUGHT TO HAVE A PROSTATE CANCER PREDISPOSITION DIAGNOSTIC TEST."
Dr. Lisa Cannon-Albright /Univ. of Utah Genetic Research: "A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WHICH COULD AT LEAST HELP MEN WHO ARE IN A FAMILY WITH RECOGNIZED INCREASED RISK THAT THEY ALSO SHARE THAT RISK."
Discovery of the gene may also give researchers clues about new drugs - drugs which could intercept the gene and stop it from doing its thing in the first place.
"THE SEQUENCE OF THE PROTEIN ENCODED BY THE GENES TELLS US THAT IT IS AN ENZYME. AND BECAUSE THE GENE ENCODES AN ENZYME, IT'S AUTOMATICALLY A BETTER TARGET FOR PHARMACEUTICAL DEVELOPMENT."
Again, while a diagnostic test could be available in two years, it will take five to ten years to develop new gene therapy drugs.
More Info
Prostate Cancer Information
National Cancer Institute
Myriad Genetics
www.myriad.com
