According to recent research published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, "Genetic predisposition to prostate cancer includes multiple common variants with a low penetrance (single nucleotide polymorphisms) and rare variants with higher penetrance. The mismatch repair (MMR) genes MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, and PMS2 are associated with Lynch syndrome where colon and endometrial cancers are the predominant phenotypes."
"The purpose of our study was to investigate whether germ-line mutations in these genes may be associated with prostate cancer. One hundred and six male carriers or obligate carriers of MMR mutations were identified. Nine had contracted prostate cancer. Immunohistochemical analysis was done on tumor tissue from eight of the nine tumors. Observed incidence, cumulative risk at 60 and 70 years of age, age of onset, and Gleason score were compared with expected as assessed from population-based series. Absence of gene product from the mutated MMR gene was found in seven of eight tumors. Expected number of prostate cancers was 1.52 compared with 9 observed (P Prostate Cancer).
The researchers concluded: "To our knowledge, this study is the first to indicate that the MMR genes may be among the rare genetic variants that confer a high risk of prostate cancer when mutated. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2009;18(9):2460-7)."
Grindedal and colleagues published their study in Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention (Germ-Line Mutations in Mismatch Repair Genes Associated with Prostate Cancer. Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, 2009;18(9):2460-2467).
For additional information, contact L. Maehle, University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Sect Inherited Cancer, Dept. of Med Genetics, N-0310 Oslo, Norway.
The publisher's contact information for the journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention is: American Association Cancer Research, 615 Chestnut St., 17TH Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19106-4404, USA.
Copyright 2009, Women's Health Weekly via NewsRx.com.
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