A Genetic Cause for Kidney Cancer

UNC scientists have discovered some really interesting information about how RCCC develops, providing new pathways for targeted therapies. Targeted therapies are those that work by zeroing in on a specific pathway in the cancer ’s development. In this case, Qing Zhang, PhD, and his team of fellow scientists saw that in 90% of RCCC, an important tumor suppressor gene called VHL was either missing or malfunctioning. When this happens, a protein called ZHX2 accumulates in high quantities in the renal cells. The VHL gene l oss is responsible in not only in the origination of the tumor(s), but also plays a key role in their development and metastasis, as the ZHX2 protein promotes blood vessel growth.09/04/2018
Source: Kidney Cancer Association - Category: Urology & Nephrology Source Type: news