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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A new gene marker could help explain why more blacks develop prostate cancer.
Researchers from the University of Chicago and the Translational Genomics Research Institute find a genetic variation is linked to a higher rate of prostate cancer in black men.
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The researchers focused on a specific region of chromosome 8 which has been known to harbor potential markers for the disease. They took a closer look at the 8q24 area of chromosome 8 by comparing 490 black men diagnosed with prostate cancer to 567 healthy men. Results show new genetic markers significantly associated with the disease.
This study took advantage of differences in genetic ancestry among the African American men in order to replicate and further localize a risk locus for prostate cancer, Dr. Rick Kittles, University of Chicago, was quoted as saying. We identified a novel prostate cancer risk locus that maps within a gene region on 8q24. This region contains an interesting candidate gene involved in DNA repair.
The study confirms previous findings which indicate common genetic variants are linked to a higher risk of prostate cancer. And it found even stronger links for several of the markers on 8q24 in blacks. Researchers hope their findings can lead to better ways of screening for the disease, early detection, and better treatments.
Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 27,000 men in the United States will die from the disease this year.
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, which offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, click on: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
SOURCE: Genome Research published online October 31, 2007
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