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Article: Missing Gene Linked to Colon Cancers
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- August 13, 1987
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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British researchers have identified a gene whose absence may be a
principal cause of a quarter or more of all colon cancers, according
to a report published yesterday.
The researchers said that both a rare, inherited form of colon
cancer and the common variety of the disease may be caused by the
absence of the gene, whose location on the human chromosome they
identified.
In 25 percent to 40 percent of the colon tumors studied, a gene
was found missing or damaged on the patch of genetic material called
chromosome five, the researchers said. They also found that people
who have inherited a strong predisposition to the rarer colon cancer
also show a missing gene on chromosome five.
Dr. ...