Melanoma is one of Australia s major cancer problems, but we still do not completely understand why certain people are at higher risk than others. This study is focussed on people who have a strong family history of melanoma, and is part of continuing efforts to identify the gene variants that contribute to melanoma risk. Most of the work described takes place as part of national and international collaborations to map and identify these melanoma susceptibility genes and to characterise their ef ....Melanoma is one of Australia s major cancer problems, but we still do not completely understand why certain people are at higher risk than others. This study is focussed on people who have a strong family history of melanoma, and is part of continuing efforts to identify the gene variants that contribute to melanoma risk. Most of the work described takes place as part of national and international collaborations to map and identify these melanoma susceptibility genes and to characterise their effects. Potential benefits from this research will be a better understanding of the place of genetic testing in assessing people s risk of melanoma, particularly if they have relatives with the disease, and way in which skin features like moles should be taken into account in that assessment. In addition, it is likely that better information about the genes altered in melanoma susceptibility and development will point to useful targets for development of novel anti-cancer agents.Read moreRead less
Mapping And Identification Of Novel Breast Cancer Susceptibility Genes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$354,419.00
Summary
Breast cancer is one of Australia?s major cancer problems, but we still do not fully understand why certain people are at higher risk of the disease than others. In recent years two genes have been shown to be abnormal in a small number of people with strong family history of breast cancer and-or ovarian cancer. This study will search for the identity of other genes of this kind. It will take advantage of a large network of researchers which has been working to recruit women with a strong family ....Breast cancer is one of Australia?s major cancer problems, but we still do not fully understand why certain people are at higher risk of the disease than others. In recent years two genes have been shown to be abnormal in a small number of people with strong family history of breast cancer and-or ovarian cancer. This study will search for the identity of other genes of this kind. It will take advantage of a large network of researchers which has been working to recruit women with a strong family history of breast cancer from around Australia over the last two years. In this short time such large numbers of women have come forward that a study of this kind will be among the largest in the world. The results of this research, in terms of location of possible new genes causing high risk of breast cancer, will be shared with other researchers in Europe and the US who are working toward the same goals. This will ensure that progress is as rapid as possible. Based on experience with the two previously discovered breast cancer genes, this research will also shed light on the types of changes that drive the malignancy of breast cancer cells. It will have implications for improved prevention, diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer.Read moreRead less
Identifying Modifiers For Plasmacytoma Susceptibility
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$265,500.00
Summary
Many oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes have been identified. Activation or deletion of these genes can have profound effects on the control of cell growth and result in tumours. Many tumour suppressor genes give carriers an elevated risk of disease. However in many cases the incidence of these mutations causing cancer is much lower than would be expected, due to other influencing factors. This project aims to try and understand the reasons behind this in a mouse model of cancer, plasmacytoma ....Many oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes have been identified. Activation or deletion of these genes can have profound effects on the control of cell growth and result in tumours. Many tumour suppressor genes give carriers an elevated risk of disease. However in many cases the incidence of these mutations causing cancer is much lower than would be expected, due to other influencing factors. This project aims to try and understand the reasons behind this in a mouse model of cancer, plasmacytomas. Modifers of tumour incidence are proposed for human disease but very little is known about the identity of the genes involved or in the biological pathways regulating tumour incidence. The search for these genes in humans is difficult. We have begun studies to find modifiers of tumourigenesis using the E -v-abl transgenic model of plasmacytomas. This is the mouse equivalent of multiple myeloma. Studies have shown that some strains of mice have markedly different incidences of tumours. C57BL-6 animals are less susceptible with 20% of animals developing tumour by 12 months of age. In contrast, 90% of transgenic animals on the BALB-c background develop tumour by 12 months of age. There is also a significant sex difference with males being more susceptible than females. There is a similar difference in susceptibility in humans to multiple myeloma.Read moreRead less