Chromosome 8 DNA Variant and Prostate Cancer

Somewhere on chromosome 8 lies a DNA sequence that confers a 60 percent greater risk of prostate cancer in men who carry it. It may also indicate a more aggressive form of the cancer. No specific functional candidate gene has been identified yet but it does appear to lie on chromosomes 8. The DNA variant which was studied in over 5,000 men may play a role in:

• ~8 percent of prostate cancers in men of European extraction
• ~16 percent of prostate cancers in black men

Prostate cancer is a cancer of aging and the theory is that all men would eventually develop it if they lived long enough. On average, men have a 1-in-6 chance of developing prostate cancer at some point in their lives. Risk factors include:

• Age
• Race – blacks have a higher risk, whites intermediate, low in native Japanese
• Family history
• Smoking
• High-fat diet

Researchers including Kari Stefansson of deCODE genetics hope to develop a diagnostic test using this gene variant to enable doctors to identify high risk men who need closer follow-up medical care and, if necessary, more aggressive treatment.

Update: The John Hawks Anthropology Weblog has more.

The Washington Post, May 7, 2006

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