Potential breakthrough on prostate cancer
Published: April 24, 2006
New research involving Irish geneticists has provided a potential breakthrough in the early detection of prostate cancer.
Professor Mark Lawler, chief molecular geneticist at St James’s Hospital, Dublin, said research into biomarkers has discovered a signature in a particular gene that can differentiate between prostate cancer and normal prostate tissue.
The “methylating” signature could be used as a biomarker for early disease, he said.
In general, methylation shuts off gene expression, and Prof Lawler believes methylation could be shutting off a tumour suppressor gene.
Ms Antoinette Perry, a researcher at Trinity College Dublin, was awarded top prize for her work in this area by the Irish Association for Cancer Research.
The work was carried out in collaboration with National Cancer Institute in the US.
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