New research uncovers genetic variants associated with an increased risk of glioma.
The team conducted two new genomic studies and added their findings to that of previously existing studies. The result was a meta-analysis of almost 12,500 people with glioma and more than 18,000 healthy, glioma-free controls.
Overall, the scientists identified 13 new genetic variants that raised the risk of glioma: five new loci were identified for GBM, and eight for non-GBM tumours. The study shows that these genetic errors impact various cell functions, including the genesis and division of neurons, cell cycle regulation, DNA repair, and the production of some proteins.
Study co-leader Richard Houlston, professor of molecular and population genetics at the Institute of Cancer Research in London in the UK, comments on the significance of these findings:
“The changes in the way we think about glioma could be quite fundamental,” Prof Houston explains. “So for example, what we thought of as two related subtypes of the disease turn out to have quite different genetic causes which may require different approaches to treatment.”
Apart from the newly discovered genetic errors, the study also confirmed the role of other genes that have been previously identified and correlated with the risk of brain and other types of cancer.
Before the new study, the total number of genetic variants linked to glioma risk was 13. The new research doubles this number.
Prof Richard Houlston said that “It has been exciting to have been involved in such a gigantic study including cases of brain cancer from all over the world. We have uncovered a treasure trove of new information about the genetic causes of glioma brain cancers.
Understanding the genetics of glioma in such detail allows us to start thinking about ways of identifying people at high inherited risk, and will open up a search for new treatments that exploit our new knowledge of the biology of the disease.”
