Lungcancer knuten till genetisk profil

"The identification of five genes that are closely associated with the outcomes in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer has clinical implications," said Hsuan-Yu Chen, a research associate at the National Taiwan University College of Public Health in Taipei.

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The signature was identified after researchers used gene-array technology to isolate more than 600 genes that appear to influence survival. That group of genes was whittled down to 16. Further experimentation found five genes that are significantly related to how well a patient does following surgery.

Chen then compared 125 patients with non-small-cell lung cancer on the basis of how their outcomes compared with the risk signature. He said the signature as well as stage of cancer when diagnosed were critical factors in survival.

The five genes that are included in the signature for non-small-cell lung cancer are:

-- STAT1, which causes arrested growth and programmed cell death, also called apoptosis, in many types of cancer cells.

-- MMD, a gene preferentially expressed in mature macrophages -- cells that promote cancer spread. However, the exact function of the MMD protein is unknown.

-- DUSP6, a gene that inactivates cell signaling, an activity that results in the tumor suppression and apoptosis.

-- ERBB3, a member of the epidermal growth factor receptor family of tyrosine kinases, which can shorten cell survival.

-- LCK, a member of the Src family of protein tyrosine kinases that plays a key role in apoptosis. LCK is expressed in many cancers and regulates the mobility of cancer cells.

Cancer cells do not go through a regular cell life-and-death cycle, somehow avoiding apoptosis. Genes that regulate apoptosis, therefore, are key factors in the growth of cancer. ¹

Att människor enbart formas efter miljön visar sig nu vara ett dåligt skämt. Den biologiska determinismen kan inte längre förnekas, bara ignoreras.