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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."

3 of 129 comments (clear)

  1. Fix Lung Cancer? by killeena · · Score: 5, Funny

    No reason to stop smoking now. Everyone light up!

    --
    Freedom would be not to choose between black and white but to abjure such prescribed choices. -Theodor Adorno
  2. DNA methylation reversible? by aschoff_nodule · · Score: 5, Informative

    To my knowledge DNA methylation cannot be reversed and DNA methylase has not been found to exist yet. The only way DNA de-methylation at a particular CpG site in DNA can occur is by DNA replication(cell division), where replication of DNA gives an unmethylated CpG site.

  3. might as well get it out of the way.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I for one welcome our new 6-packs-a-day cancerless overlords!