Colorectal cancer gene identified

CLEVELAND, March 11 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers have isolated the colorectal cancer gene, or the hereditary components of colorectal cancer.

The study, published in The American Journal of Human Genetics, reviewed the genome scan of all chromosome pairs in 194 families and identified additional colorectal cancer gene regions on chromosomes 1p, 15q and 17p.

The study also analyzed families with different clusters of cancer, such as colorectal cancer with multiple polyps and colorectal cancer with breast cancer. These different phenotypes appear to link to different chromosomal regions, which the researchers say supports the idea of multiple susceptibility genes causing different types of cancers.

"The goal of our study is to identify the CRC genes in susceptible patients to better understand who may be prone to develop CRC and why," study lead author Dr. Georgia Wiesner of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland said in a statement. "This study is a step towards the future of genetic CRC testing."

Identifying the genes -- colorectal cancer genetic markers -- will identify "at risk" patients who need better cancer screening strategies such as colonoscopies well before standard screening age of 50.