Scientists
discover gene marker linked to prostate cancer

Researchers in Iceland have discovered a genetic marker that indicates a 60% higher risk of developing prostate cancer, and they report that African-American men are more than twice as likely to carry the gene variant than white men, reports the Associated Press. The researchers say the higher rate of the variant in black men may help explain why African-American men are more likely to develop prostate cancer than white men.

The study of nearly 2,500 men, published in the online version of the journal Nature Genetics, showed that the DNA variant was found in about 19% of white males who had been diagnosed with prostate cancer but was present in about 40% of black patients. The genetic variant may also be linked with a higher risk of developing particularly aggressive forms of prostate cancer, but researchers say more studies need to be conducted to confirm this link.

Iceland genetics firm deCode plans to develop a genetic test for the variant so that doctors will be able to identify patients who may be at a higher risk of developing the disease. In general, men face a 1-in-6 chance of developing prostate cancer at some point in their lives. It is one of the most common cancers among U.S. men; about 230,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. (The Advocate)