The Daily Utah Chronicle, an independent newspaper at the
University of Utah, carried an interesting article on January 31 that described
the recent identification of a gene now proven to contribute to prostate cancer.
The article caught my eye because it describes the use of a large genealogy
database used in this research.
HPC2, standing for hereditary prostate cancer, was identified in
a collaborative effort between researchers at the University of Utah School of
Medicine and Myriad Genetics Inc. in Research Park. The American Cancer Society
predicts that 198,100 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and 31,500 will
die from it this year. More than 70 percent of prostate-cancer diagnoses are in
men 65 or older.
"[HPC2] is the first of many genes, all of which will
probably contribute to a small portion of prostate cancer," said Lisa
Cannon-Albright, a genetic epidemiologist. The researchers predict that
knowledge of this gene will lead to the discovery of subsequent cancer-causing
gene mutations. The researchers estimate HPC2 is responsible for 2 to 10 percent
of all prostate cancer cases.
Albright said Utah provides unique opportunities for doing
genetic research. "Utah has a very unique resource . . . the Utah Population
Database at the medical school; it combines computerized genealogy with tumor
registry," Albright said. The database features family pedigrees and state
cancer data. "It lets us identify the high-risk families."
The complete article can be found online.
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Dick Eastman Online
