Specific Gene Increases Susceptibility To Breast Cancer, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Research Institute Study

ScienceDaily (May 6, 2008) — Much work has been done to identify genetic variations that predispose women to breast cancer. Previous work showed that variants in the gene called fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) were associated with increased risk of the disease, but how these variants translated into increased risk was unknown. A new paper by Kerstin Meyer and colleagues, published this week in the open-access journal PLoS Biology, shows how specific changes in the FGFR2 gene alter the way regulatory molecules bind to it, leading to increased gene expression, which, in turn, increases the risk of developing breast cancer.