deCODE Discovers Major Genetic Risk Factor for Prostate Cancer
May 07 2006 - 2:23PM
PR Newswire (US)
Milestone in cancer genetics: a common genetic variant conferring
significant risk of a common cancer in the general population
REYKJAVIK, Iceland, May 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Scientists at
deCODE genetics (NASDAQ:DCGN) along with academic colleagues in
Iceland, the US and Sweden today report the discovery of a common
genetic variant that predisposes to prostate cancer. The variant
was discovered in Iceland and confirmed in several American and
Swedish cohorts. About 19% of men of European ancestry with
prostate cancer carry at least one copy of the variant, which
confers an approximately 60% increase in risk of the disease and
accounts for approximately 8% of cases. The variant confers roughly
the same increase in risk among African Americans but is twice as
common. The variant thus accounts for approximately 16% of prostate
cancer among African American men and thereby contributes to the
higher incidence of the disease among African Americans. The paper
is entitled: "A common variant associated with prostate cancer in
European and African populations." It is published today in the
online edition of Nature Genetics at http://www.nature.com/ng , and
will appear in the journal's June print edition. "This is one of
the first genetic variants ever found to confer significant risk of
a major cancer among the population in general. Most previously
identified cancer genes have their effect on cancer risk only in
families with a clear family history of cancer, or are only found
mutated in tumors. This discovery is important from a medical
standpoint because the only firmly established risk factors for the
disease until now have been age, family history and ethnicity. As
this variant also appears to be associated with the development of
more aggressive prostate tumors, a diagnostic test for the variant
may enable doctors to make more informed decisions as to how
closely they should monitor those who are at high risk, and how
aggressively they should treat the disease once it presents. We
plan to use this discovery as the basis for the development of such
a diagnostic test," said Kari Stefansson, CEO of deCODE and senior
author on the study. The variant is located within a putative gene
of unknown function in a region on chromosome 8 known to be one of
the most frequently amplified chromosomal regions in prostate
tumors. The total number of patient and control samples analyzed in
the study was 3430 and 2675, respectively. Study groups were drawn
from the Icelandic Cancer Registry; CAPS1, a population-based study
of prostate cancer patients in Sweden; the Prostate Cancer
Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) at Northwestern
University; and the Flint Men's Health Study and the Prostate
Cancer Genetics Project, both of the University of Michigan.
Prostate cancer Prostate cancer is the most common non-cutaneous
cancer in men in the industrial world, and is responsible for more
deaths among men than any other cancer except lung cancer. Prostate
cancer develops most frequently in those over fifty. However many
men who develop prostate cancer never have symptoms, undergo no
therapy, and eventually die of other causes. Whether and how to
treat localized prostate cancer is thus a difficult decision, and
depends largely upon an appraisal of the aggressiveness of the
tumor and the likelihood that the cancer will spread to other
organs. About deCODE deCODE genetics (NASDAQ:DCGN) is a global
leader in applying human genetics to develop drugs for common
diseases. Our population approach has enabled us to discover and
target key biological pathways involved in conditions ranging from
heart attack to cancer. We are turning these discoveries into new
medicine to better treat and prevent many of the biggest challenges
to public health. deCODE is delivering on the promise of the new
genetics.(SM) Visit us on the web at http://www.decode.com/ . Any
statements contained in this presentation that relate to future
plans, events or performance are forward-looking statements within
the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of
risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those described in the forward- looking statements.
These risks and uncertainties include, among others, those relating
to technology and product development, integration of acquired
businesses, market acceptance, government regulation and regulatory
approval processes, intellectual property rights and litigation,
dependence on collaborative relationships, ability to obtain
financing, competitive products, industry trends and other risks
identified in deCODE's filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. deCODE undertakes no obligation to update or alter
these forward-looking statements as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise. Contact: deCODE genetics Edward Farmer
Joy Bessenger +1 212 343 2819 +1 212 481 3891 DATASOURCE: deCODE
Genetics CONTACT: Edward Farmer, +1-212-343-2819, , or Joy
Bessenger, +1-212-481-3891, , both of deCODE genetics Web site:
http://www.decode.com/ http://www.nature.com/ng
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