Breast cancer caused due to a defect in the BRCA1 gene is considered to be a common form of the disease. In a major trial, scientists from the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) and the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre have disclosed the complete genetic code of the most general kind of breast cancer.
3 genes namely the DAPK3, TMEM135 and GATA4 were unraveled by the scientists. All the 3 genes are cited to be tumor suppressors in their natural forms. However, mutations in these genes presumably led to cancer and its progression.
Study co-author, Professor Jorge Reis-Filho, from the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre at the ICR, quoted, “This research has big implications for how we treat hereditary breast cancer in the future. We often consider patients with a faulty BRCA gene as one group but our work shows that each tumour can look very different from each other genetically. Now we understand this, we can start to identify the best treatment strategies to save more lives of hereditary breast cancer patients.â€
The investigators examined 2 tumors related to a faulty BRCA1 gene, which is regarded as hereditary. They scanned through the hormone receptor positive and negative variants of the condition. The results were pitted against other kinds of breast cancers, after which they stumbled upon the aforesaid genes.
The team is hopeful that the revelations could help in the development of drugs that target these mutations. This article is published in the Journal of Pathology.