Scientists discover hundreds of potential new cancer-causing genes

Researchers at the Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG) have discovered hundreds of potential new cancer-causing genes. The results, published in Nature Communications, greatly expand the list of possible therapeutic targets for monitoring and fighting the disease.Mutations in genes are a major cause of cancer. They can alter the form and function of proteins, disrupting normal cell function. According to COSMIC, the world's most widely used database of mutations in cancer, there are 626 genes whose mutation leads to uncontrolled cell growth and survival.These are critical drug targets. The study predicts that non-mutational mechanisms are just as common. The researchers used an algorithm to find 813 genes that help cancer cells proliferate through changes in an often overlooked molecular mechanism known as splicing.As with mutations, splicing can be affected by drugs that control disease progression.“By taking into account non-mutational mechanisms such as splicing, we believe there could be twice as many potential gene targets for cancer control. These are not classical oncogenes, but rather a whole new class of potential cancer-causing factors that can be targeted in isolation or in synergy with existing strategies. This is an incredibly exciting new frontier to explore,” explained study co-author Mikel Anglada-Girotto.