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Tumor Suppression Gene Discovered

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the come-see-the-violence-inherent-in-the-system dept.

An anonymous reader writes ScieceDaily is reporting that researchers at Ohio State University may have identified a new and unusual tumor suppression gene that could effect cancers of the lung, head, and neck. From the article: "The gene, known as TCF21, is silenced in tumor cells through a chemical change known as DNA methylation, a process that is potentially reversible. The findings might therefore lead to new strategies for the treatment and early detection of lung cancer, a disease that killed an estimated 163,510 Americans in 2005. The study could also lead to a better understanding of the molecular changes that occur in tumor cells during lung-cancer progression."

7 of 129 comments (clear)

  1. good news for me (and you) by onetwentyone · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I smoke quite a bit on a daily basis. Yes, I am well aware of my vice. This comes as pretty stellar news for me. Should, at some point in the future, this develop into a worthwhile treatment for cancers, I welcome it.

    Here's to our new gene discovering overlords; may you use your powers for good and not to create a new race of super intelligent and immortal beings.

  2. Re:Grammar Nazi Alert by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    > researchers at Ohio State University may have identified a new and unusual tumor suppression gene that could [b]effect[/b] cancers of the lung, head, and neck.

    A perfect example of a careless grammatical mistake that completely reverses the meaning of a sentence. To the original submitter, do we really want to call a gene that causes cancers a "tumor suppression gene"? Because that's the meaning of what was written, even if it wasn't the intended meaning.

    I wouldn't call Da Stylin' Rastan's comment a "grammar nazi" response either. You can have bad grammar that's just clumsy but still carries the same meaing. Instead it's a "good god people take a little care with what you're writing" nazi post.

    JT - Sick of product manuals that use the same careless language, often making them useless.

  3. One more breakthrough reported on /.? by geneing · · Score: 3, Interesting
    Well, as a regular /. reader I'm confused. In the past couple of year I've read dozens of reports here about breakthrough discoveries in cancer treatment and fusion research. However, neither cancer has been cured nor fusion reactors have been built.

    What am I missing? :)

    1. Re:One more breakthrough reported on /.? by Bongo+Bill · · Score: 3, Interesting

      In general, any breakthrough discovery requires years of follow-up testing to make sure it's actually valid, and even then whatever comes as a result of it will be of limited use and prohibitively expensive - even assuming that the follow-up testing didn't reveal any new hurdles, which it usually does.

      --
      ...but is it art?
    2. Re:One more breakthrough reported on /.? by ScrewMaster · · Score: 2, Interesting

      That's not exactly fair ... there are many types of cancer that are routinely cured (cancer is not, after, a single disease) and there have been plenty of fusion reactors built ... they just don't actually generate usable power yet.

      --
      The higher the technology, the sharper that two-edged sword.
  4. Nothing new to see, move along... by InternationalCow · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Another example of researchers drumming up their findings. Altered methylation patterns of tumor suppressor gene promotor sequences is nothing new. Neither is the finding of a gene whose product can act to suppress tumor growth. There are many of those.Posting this on slashdot is somewhat overdone. DNA methylation is an exciting target for chemotherapy, that will doutblessly benefit cancer patients in the near future. But it is too early to cry victory.

    --
    ----- One learns to itch where one can scratch.
  5. Hey... by mikepaktinat · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I do IT support for that guy.

    He's a good guy.
    I think its crazy how you can work every day with a person and not really know the depth of what they do for a living.