February 24, 1996
Web posted at: 6:15 p.m. EST
From Correspondent Dan Rutz
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- Cancer researchers report they have discovered a gene which they say might unravel the mystery of what causes cancer.
The Philadelphia research team may have hit upon the "Rosetta Stone" of cancer study by discovering a gene that controls the evolution of tumors, said Dr. Marston Linehan of the National Cancer Institute (94K AIFF sound or 94K WAV sound). The gene is named FHIT.
Thomas Jefferson University researchers say FHIT normally blocks the growth of tumors. Linehan said the research shows the gene is altered in people who have some of the most common forms of cancer.
Modern cancer treatments target malignancies after they are well-established. Chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery is intended to kill or remove cancer cells, but to date, there is no sure way to prevent normal cells from becoming cancerous.
The mystery lies inside the basic building blocks of life, individual cells whose growth and maturation is governed by genes that are passed down through the generations.
Everything from the color of our eyes to how our bodies function is dependent on genetics. Some genes are defective at birth. Others, experts believe, can be damaged by environmental pollutants like tobacco smoke.
The gene was discovered by studying an Italian-American family that has been prone to kidney cancer.
If the gene is the starting point for cancers of the lung, colon, and esophagus, it may one day be possible to test people for their chances of developing these tumors.
"If you know the mechanism through which this agent can alter the fit gene, we might develop preventive measures," said Dr. Carlo M. Croce, director of Jefferson's Kimmel Cancer Center.
Cancer treatments based on genetics are also under study, but scientists stress practical applications could be years away from fruition.
The study is reported in Friday's issue of the journal Cell.
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