Biotech News - Researchers Publish Results of Largest Genome-Wide Linkage Study of Prostate Can

Researchers Publish Results of Largest Genome-Wide Linkage Study of
Prostate Cancer Among African American Men

Collaborative effort may open doors to improved diagnosis and
treatment

10-11-2006

Phoenix, AZ, October 11, 2006--Researchers from 14 institutions
across the country today announced the results of the first genome-
wide linkage study of prostate cancer in African Americans. Using
genetic markers, researchers identified several regions of the human
genome that likely contain genes that, when altered, increase the
risk of developing prostate cancer.
The study was conceived, implemented and executed primarily by
African American investigators. Published in the journal, The
Prostate, the AAHPC is a milestone in years of research designed to
identify genetic risk factors for prostate cancer and to help
determine if heredity plays a role in the disparity in prostate
cancer rates seen among African American men.

The African American Hereditary Prostate Cancer Study Network
(AAHPC) recruited 77 African American extended families, which
encompassed a total of 418 men with prostate cancer, to participate
in this study. All of the families studied had at least four men who
have been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Using genetic markers,
researchers were able to map several important regions of the human
genome that likely contain genes that, when mutated, predispose
these men to developing prostate cancer.

"We now must sift through millions of bases of genome sequence to
identify the proverbial 'needle in the haystack'," said John
Carpten, PhD, senior author and director of TGen's Integrated Cancer
Genomics Division. "The discovery of these genes will hopefully lead
to new and improved modes of diagnosis and treatment for some men
with prostate cancer. This work speaks to our committed efforts to
help reduce the disparity in prostate cancer rates seen among
African American men."

According to the National Cancer Institute, the incidence of
prostate cancer among African American men is 277 per 100,000
compared to 168 per 100,000 for white men. The annual death rate
from prostate cancer is 73 per 100,000 for African American men
compared 30 per 100,000 for white men. This means that the incidence
of prostate cancer is about two times higher in African American men
who are three times more likely to die from this disease. Family
history is the most significant risk factor known for prostate
cancer among all men, including African Americans.

"We hope today's findings-and the discoveries we expect to make in
future years-will inspire the worldwide research community to view
this study as a model for many other genetic studies of common
diseases," said Francis S. Collins, MD, PhD, director of the
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), which is part of
the National Institutes of Health. "Not only does this study
represent one of the most impressive collections of prostate cancer
families from any ethnic group, it demonstrates the importance of
setting up a network of principal investigators who are close to the
community under study."

The paper's first author, Agnes B. Baffoe-Bonnie, MD, MPH, PhD, who
is an associate member at the Population Science Division at the Fox
Chase Cancer Center (FCCC) in Philadelphia, said these findings
greatly add to our understanding of hereditary prostate cancer in
African Americans. "I commend the many families who took the time to
participate in this important research and praise their commitment
to advancing medical knowledge. These important findings will be
applied to prevention and treatment strategies," Dr. Baffoe-Bonnie
said.

AAHPC is the largest study to date that focuses on prostate cancer
in African American families. The families studied came from
Chicago, Detroit, Houston, New York, Washington, D.C., Atlanta and
South Carolina.

"Since this disease is so important in this population, this is a
critical study in terms of our ability to understand the molecular
mechanisms responsible for the disproportionate risk observed in
African American men for both diagnosis of and mortality from
prostate cancer," said William B. Isaacs, PhD, of Johns Hopkins
University School of Medicine in Baltimore, who is head of the
International Consortium for Prostate Cancer Genetics. "The mapping
information provided by these researchers will provide essential
information necessary for the ultimate identification of the genes
involved, and hopefully for mechanistically based efforts to address
this disparity."

The AAHPC was a collaborative effort involving 12 institutions
nationwide including TGen; Fox Chase Cancer Center; NHGRI; the
Comprehensive Cancer Center at the Ohio State University in
Columbus; the National Human Genome Center, the Department of
Microbiology and the Division of Urology at Howard University,
Washington; Midtown Urology in Atlanta, the Columbia-Presbyterian
Medical Center in New York; the Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago;
the MD Anderson Medical Center in Houston; the University of
Illinois in Chicago; the University of South Carolina in Columbia;
and the Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University in
Detroit.

How to Create a Family Health History
To help people in the task of creating their family health
histories, the U.S. Department of Heath and Human Services offers a
free, computerized tool that organizes health information into a
printout that can be can taken to health-care professionals. The
tool, called "My Family Health Portrait," is available at
https://familyhistory.hhs.gov/.

# # #

About TGen
The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), a non-profit
501(c)(3) organization, is focused on developing earlier diagnostics
and smarter treatments. Translational genomics research is a
relatively new field employing innovative advances arising from the
Human Genome Project and applying them to the development of
diagnostics, prognostics and therapies for cancer, neurological
disorders, diabetes and other complex diseases. TGen's research is
based on personalized medicine and the institute plans to accomplish
its goals through robust and disease-focused research.

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