Individuals who inherit two mutant copies of any one of about 12 genes that make the proteins of the Fanconi Anemia (FA) pathway develop FA, which is characterized by increased incidence of cancer and bone marrow failure, among other things. However, individuals with just a single mutant copy of one of these genes are also at increased risk of developing cancer. This occurs when the remaining “good” copy of the gene becomes mutated in a specific cell type, allowing that cell type to form a tumor. However, hope of a new treatment for these cancers has now been provided by researchers from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston who suggest that inhibiting the protein ATM might kill these cancer cells.>>> Discuss This Story
