Researchers have identified thousands of genetic variants in a gene that could raise an individual's risk of ovarian and breast cancer , opening the door to more accurate risk assessment and individualised treatment . With a focus on the "cancer protection" gene RAD51C, researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute and their partners discovered over 3,000 deleterious genetic alterations that may interfere with its function and raise the risk of aggressive subtypes of breast cancer four times as well as ovarian cancer six times. Data analysis from extensive health databases validated these conclusions.
The results, which are openly accessible and were published in Cell, can be utilised right away to assist medical professionals and diagnostic laboratory scientists in more accurately estimating the risk of cancer, particularly in those with a family history of malignancies The study also identified regions of the protein essential for its function, pointing to new roles in cancer development and potential therapeutic targets. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK, with around 56,800 new cases every year. One in seven UK females will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime2.
Ovarian cancer is the sixth most common cancer in females in the UK, with around 7,500 new cases every year3. The RAD51C gene encodes a protein crucial for DNA repair. Variants in this gene that stop the protein from working are known to increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancers .