Tuesday 27 May 2003
Institute of Cancer Research scientists are calling on British men to help them find the hereditary genes for prostate and testicular cancer as they launch the sixth Everyman Male Cancer Awareness Month.
The scientists who discovered the second breast cancer gene BRCA2 in 1995 assisted by the response to a similar call for public support, say that male cancer research is at least ten years behind.
As The Institute predicted last year, prostate cancer has overtaken lung cancer to become the most common form of the disease in men. Six possible sites for prostate cancer genes have been identified on the human genome but more men are needed to help with research before these findings can be confirmed.
Testicular cancer incidence is doubling every twenty years and it is one of the most hereditary cancers. A likely site was discovered for a testicular cancer gene three years ago on chromosome Xq27 but more families with histories of the disease are needed to support this discovery.
Professor Colin Cooper, Head of the UK’s first dedicated male cancer research centre at The Institute of Cancer Research comments:
“We need more men with a family history of prostate or testicular cancer to help us find the genes involved in both diseases. Their discovery would have far reaching benefits both for patients and for their relatives who could be at risk.”
He continues: “Genes allow us to screen people at high risk of developing the disease; to predict how the individual’s cancer will progress and tailor treatment accordingly; and they also provide a target for new and more effective drugs. The big problem is finding enough families to help us precisely locate the genes.”
The search for the breast cancer gene BRCA2 was successful much more quickly because abnormalities in BRCA2 confer a highly increased risk of breast cancer, therefore many women in families with a BRCA2 mutation develop the disease. For example, just one family with around twenty cases of breast cancer provided powerful evidence that the correct gene had been found.
However, each of the prostate and testicular cancer susceptibility genes probably confers a modestly increased risk of cancer, therefore fewer family members develop the disease making it more difficult to prove the validity of possible genes.
But it is believed there are several of these ‘low risk’ genes in testicular cancer families, making it more hereditary than almost any other cancer. For example, a woman whose sister has breast cancer has a two to three fold increased risk of developing the disease (compared to the general population) but a man with a brother who has testicular cancer has an eight to ten fold increased risk of getting it himself.
Professor Mike Stratton of The Institute of Cancer Research discovered the breast cancer gene BRCA2 and also identified the first possible site for a hereditary testicular cancer gene three years ago. He comments:
“The discovery of cancer genes can have a major impact on people’s lives. One woman who was due to go ahead with a double mastectomy because she had a very high chance of developing breast cancer was able to cancel the operation when BRCA2 was discovered because it was then possible to test her for abnormalities in the gene and it was found that she was not a carrier.”
The Institute of Cancer Research is co-ordinating a major search taking place across the UK to find the genes for prostate cancer, involving 240 medical collaborators. Seven hundred men are taking part in the study already, but hundreds more are needed.
There have been six areas of promise so far in the search to find prostate cancer genes – three on chromosome 1, one each on chromosomes 17 and 20 and one on the chromosome men inherit from their mother, the X chromosome.
Cont…
Dr Ros Eeles, an oncologist specialising in prostate cancer genetics comments:
“Some of these areas may contain the true genetic alterations that may cause inherited prostate cancer and others will be a false lead. What we need to do now is to study more prostate cancer families to find out which of the areas where there are hints of prostate cancer genes really harbour the causative genetic alterations”
The Institute is looking for families with three or more cases of prostate cancer diagnosed at less than 70 years of age. This could be any first or second degree relative (brothers, sons, fathers, grandfathers, uncles or cousins). If you would like to help in the search for prostate cancer genes, phone Anna Dowe at The Institute of Cancer Research, tel: 020 8661 3667, or write to her at Anna Dowe, Cancer Genetics Research Nurse, Cancer Genetics, The Institute of Cancer Research and Royal Marsden NHS Trust, Downs Road, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5PT.
The Institute coordinates the International Testicular Cancer Linkage Consortium to search for testicular cancer genes. Five hundred men are involved so far and the UK has contributed nearly half of the families. However researchers say they need at least 300 more men to take part.
Scientists are still trying to isolate a testicular cancer gene on chromosome Xq27 – the first promising site to be identified. With more families with histories of the disease it could be possible to confirm the finding and to find the other testis cancer susceptibility genes.
“There is no doubt that there are testicular cancer predisposition genes and that they make a major contribution to testis cancer,” says Professor Mike Stratton of The Institute. He continues:
“ The main problems are that there are probably several testis cancer genes and that each of them in themselves only confers a small risk. Both these things make the genes difficult to find, and one way to overcome this is to get more families.”
The Institute has just launched a national cancer research network approved protocol to collect testicular cancer families. We wish to recruit families with two or more cases of testicular cancer. If you would like to help in the search for testicular cancer genes contact your specialist or GP to refer you to the research programme or contact the study co-ordinator, Lola Johnson for more details, tel: 020 8722 4053 or write to her at Lola Johnson, The Institute of Cancer Research and Royal Marsden NHS Trust, Downs Road, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5PT.
Men who come forward for either the prostate or the testicular cancer gene research will be sent a preliminary questionnaire. If they join the study, all that will be required of them is a blood sample which can be taken by their GP or specialist.
Some men who have had testicular or prostate cancer are not aware that these diseases can be hereditary and don’t tell other members of their family about their illness. Clare Moynihan, a Medical Sociologist at The Institute of Cancer Research comments:
“Whilst we respect that men might not want to talk, knowledge can be power and it is very important that they are aware these diseases can be hereditary. If they did know, they might want to talk about it to make their relations aware that they could be at risk. And they might want to help The Institute in the search for cancer genes.”
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For further information please contact The Institute of Cancer Research Press Office,
tel: 020 7153 5312/5359, mobile: 07768 904 621/ 0778 842 7856
Notes to editors
- Everyman Male Cancer Awareness Month is held each June and is organised by The Institute of Cancer Research as part of an on-going campaign to increase both awareness and funding for research into these cancers.
- Prostate cancer kills one man every hour in the UK and testicular cancer incidence has risen by 70 per cent in the last twenty years.
- Some of the work referred to in this press release was funded by Cancer Research UK and the Prostate Cancer Charitable Trust
Please note:
Unfortunately the press office are unable to answer queries from the general public. For general cancer information please refer to The Institute's cancer information page.