Gene mutation could spore non-inherited cancer

The research undertaken at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center focused on the gene for type 1 transforming growth factor-beta receptor, or TGFBR1, and on a variation of that gene, TGFBR1-6A. The 6A variant can be inherited and can increase cancer susceptibility by 19% in individuals with one copy of the gene and by 70% in those carrying two copies.

The study showed that the 6A variant, which is carried by nearly one in seven Americans generally and by one in six people with cancer, can also arise as a gene mutation during cancer development. Furthermore, the researchers found the 6A variant in half of the metastatic liver tumors they examined. These tumors had spread to the liver from the colon.

In some cases, the variants in these tumors had been inherited, but, says lead author Boris Pasche, assistant professor of medicine at Northwestern University, “the majority of the liver metastases had acquired the variant as a mutation during cancer progression. This shows the dramatic impact of this gene on the growth of cancer cells in humans, and suggests that this molecule may become an excellent target for new therapies for patients with colorectal cancer, especially those with liver metastases.”

Overall, the evidence from the study suggests that the 6A mutation boosts cancer-cell growth and tumor metastasis. This, in turn, suggests that the molecule would make a good target for anticancer drugs that block the action of the 6A molecule.