Genes tied to prostate cancer uncovered
For the first time, researchers have laid bare the full genetic blueprint of multiple prostate tumors, uncovering alterations that have never before been detected and offering a detailed view of the genetic missteps that underlie the disease. The study, made possible by key advances in whole genome sequencing and analysis, points to several new prostate cancer genes and a critical category of genomic changes as important drivers of prostate cancer growth. The work was led by researchers from the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Weill Cornell Medical College. It appears in the Feb. 10 issue of the journal Nature. Unlike other sequencing methods that target specific sections of the genome, whole genome sequencing enables researchers to look across the entire DNA landscape of a tumor, making it possible to discern global changes and patterns. Senior authors Levi Garraway and Mark Rubin and their colleagues used this...