Dozens of new genetic findings about three major cancers were unveiled last night, bringing closer systematic testing for the diseases.
Research led by British and European researchers pin-pointed 80 regions of the genome linked to cancer of the breast, prostate and ovaries.
And the findings mean scientists have also identified thousands of possible genetic alterations that may contribute to cancer.
Findings have been published in four different journals: Nature Genetics, Nature Communications, The American Journal of Human Genetics and PLOS Genetics.
Some 78 genes are now linked to prostate cancer, an increase of 23, including 16 linked to the most serious forms of the disease.
And 11 regions were linked to ovarian cancer.
Researchers said they had found 49 common genetic changes contributing to breast cancer.
The research also helped fine-tune genetic links to breast cancer. It showed that women with the gene BRCA1 and most of the genetic variants link to it have the most risk of developing the disease.
Researcher Professor Doug Easton, of the University of Cambridge, UK, and Cancer Research UK, said: “We’re on the verge of being able to use our knowledge of these genetic variations to develop tests that could complement breast cancer screening and take us a step closer to having an effective prostate cancer screening programme.
“By looking for people who carry most of these variations we will be able to identify those who are at the greatest risk of getting these cancers and then targeting screening tests to these individuals.”
Javier Benitez, Director of the Human Cancer Genetics Programme at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, said: "Specifically, the 41 new genes identified for breast cancer increase to almost 70 the number of genes that indicate a high probability of developing this illness when mutated.
"These data indicate that up to 5% of the general population may have a high risk of suffering from this illness at some point in their lives."
Professor Per Hall, of the Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, said: “An equally important finding is that we identified how many additional SNPs that could influence the risk of breast cancer and prostate cancer, respectively. For breast cancer the number is 1,000 and for prostate cancer 2,000."
Professor Jacques Simard, of Laval University, Quebec, Canada, said: "The vast amount of genetic information gathered through this study makes it one of the most significant breakthroughs in recent years in terms of understanding the inherited risk factors of breast cancer.
"It is now possible to develop a DNA profile where 5 percent of women have one in four chances of developing the disease."
Dr Julia Wilson, of UK-based Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said: "Before this research was carried out, we only knew of 27 common genetic changes which caused breast cancer; and now we know over 70."
Nature Genetics, Nature Communications, The American Journal of Human Genetics, PLOS Genetics 27 March 2013
* British researchers unveiled a second discovery about prostate cancer last night.
The York University researchers have been studying the root cells that trigger the disease.
Writing in Nature Communications, Professor Norman Maitland reveals the DNA changes in the cells that make them cancerous.
His work shows a gene called ERG being linked to the process.
He said: “This discovery marks a fundamental shift in our understanding of how solid cancers start. It is believed that root cancer cells arise from healthy stem cells going wrong – for example certain controls can be turned off which allow the cells to keep growing and invade surrounding tissue.
"In blood cancers such as leukaemia, DNA is rearranged during an event known as chromosomal translocation, which results in a mutant protein that drives cancer progression.
"Although similar rearrangements have recently been discovered in solid cancers, until now, they have not been considered as stem cell functions. Our work has challenged this idea."
Nature Communications 27 March 2013
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