Cambridge research leads to prostate cancer breakthrough

Funded by Cancer Research UK, scientists from the university worked with the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) to study genetic factors that may signal a higher risk of developing prostate cancer.

Researchers identified a total of seven new sites in the human genome that are linked to the risk of men developing prostate cancer.

These results are a breakthrough in our efforts to understand men's susceptibility to prostate cancer.

Harpal Kumar

Chief executive

Cancer Research UK

The gene MSMB was identified as a factor that could be used in screening for prostate cancer, while LMTK2 was noted as a potential target for any new treatments.

Dr Ros Eeles led the study at the ICR and said that the "exciting results" will allow doctors to "more accurately calculate the risk of developing prostate cancer and may lead to the development of better targeted screening and treatment".

Harpal Kumar, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, added: "These results are a breakthrough in our efforts to understand men's susceptibility to prostate cancer.

"Thanks to the international collaboration of so many scientists, and this huge advance in technology, we can now trawl through the human genome to discover so much more about prostate cancer–the most common cancer to affect UK men.

Medical science professionals in Australia worked alongside the UK team to monitor the genetic makeup of men thought to be at a higher risk of prostate cancer.