Researchers collaborating on a global hunt for genetic components in some of the world’s most common cancers have identified 74 new susceptibility loci, or chromosomal mutations that predispose an individual to disease. Working under the umbrella of the Collaborative Oncological Gene-environment Study (COGS), scientists from 34 countries concentrated on three hormone-related cancers — breast, ovarian and prostate — which each year are diagnosed in about 2.5 million people worldwide.
One study
that targeted breast cancer — the most common kind of cancer in women — identified 41 new susceptibility loci. The study’s team believes that more than 1,000 additional loci, yet to be confirmed, may contribute to an individual’s risk factor for developing the disease. A second study
investigating genetic risks for prostate cancer, which is the most common cancer diagnosed in men from developed countries, found 23 new susceptibility loci for the disease. A third study
found three new ...
