Scientists identify new gene that drives triple-negative breast cancer

Author: Honor Whiteman

Date Published: January 11, 2015

URL: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/287788.php

Summary: Scientists in the United Kingdom have been researching a cure for breast cancer and have found a gene called BCL11A. This gene causes triple-negative breast cancer - an aggressive form of the disease that accounts for 10-20% of breast cancers. This gene does not react to hormone therapy. Therefore hormone therapy is rendered useless for treatment of cancer when someone has triple-negative cancer.   Dr. Walid Khaled of the Welcome Trust Sanger Institute and the University of Cambridge in the UK has noted that a lot of research has been put into curing triple-negative cancer. Scientists have been trying to find the gene that cause this form of the disease for years. To find the BCL11A gene, scientists had to take a different approach where they looked at genes that influence the actions of stem cells and developing tissue cells. When they reduced the BCL11A gene they saw a decrease in cancer activity. In a study of 3,000 patients, the BCL11A gene was found to be increased and was associated with the cause of aggressive tumors. In later tests when the gene was decreased cancer activity was greatly decreased and tumor growth stalled until the gene was allowed to be used again.

Relevance: This is relevant to class because we have recently studied how depending on your genes you could have some sort of disease. We had learned about trisomy 21 where if you have three 21st chromosomes instead of two you could have a serious mental handicap. We also learned about mutations in genes, how they could affect the persons appearance or mental capabilities. Cancer is a mutation that can be passed on from your parents to you and if your parents had a mutation in their genes there is a good chance that you could receive it. We also learned that you can genetically modify organisms in our GMO lab and our debates. In the article it discussed how humans were able to deactivate and/or decrease the number of BCL11A genes in humans and in mice which lowered the amount of cancer activity.