A new study has led to the discovery of new information about the role of epigenetics in cancer development. Epigenetics refers to the study of how an individual’s environment and behaviors cause changes that affect the way their genes work.
The study, which was conducted by scientists at the Institute of Cancer Research in London, suggests that dark matter may change the detection and treatment of cancer. It may also facilitate the development of new tests for this illness, which will be useful in tailoring therapies.
Prior studies have primarily focused on how structural changes to individual DNA, which cause genes to mutate, drive cancer growth. This latest study focuses on how the environment may affect how an individual’s genes work. As an individual ages, their epigenetics change in response to how and where they live.
While epigenetics do not change a person’s DNA code, it can control access to genes. Researchers believe that it plays a crucial role in cancer development. For their study, the researchers analyzed more than 1,300 samples from patients with bowel cancers. This led to the discovery that epigenetic changes drove cancer growth and were common in cancerous cells.
Prof. Trevor Graham, director of the Center for Evolution and Cancer at the Institute of Cancer Research, stated that the research had uncovered another level of control for how cancers behaved, likening this to dark matter. In an interview with the BBC, Graham explained that lines of DNA folding up in every cell sometimes tangled, which could change which genes could be read. He emphasized that how the tangles were positioned was crucial in determining how a cancer would behave.
While this research is still at an early stage, the researchers believe that this discovery may create an avenue for the development of new treatments. At the moment, individuals can undergo genetic testing for cancer mutations. For instance, individuals with a family history can get tested for BRCA, which heightens a person’s risk of breast cancer.
Graham also argued that genetic testing didn’t provide the full picture on an individual’s treatment of cancer, noting that testing for both epigenetic and genetic changes could help to more accurately predict which treatments will be most effective for a certain type of cancer.
In their report, the researchers note that more studies are needed to prove whether epigenetic changes directly impacted the way cancers behaved. The study’s findings were reported in the “Nature” journal.
As more insights become available about how exactly cancer develops and spreads, and as numerous entities such as QSAM Biosciences Inc. (OTCQB: QSAM) conduct R&D activities focused on bringing to market better cancer treatments, patients can look forward to a future where their prognoses improve as a result of superior treatment options.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to QSAM Biosciences Inc. (OTCQB: QSAM) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/QSAM
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