Massively parallel sequencing in hereditary prostate cancer families reveals a rare risk variant in the DNA repair gene, RAD51C

Global statistics show that prostate cancer (PrCa) is the second most common non-cutaneous cancer diagnosed in men, and currently, it is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australian men [1]. While PrCa is a clinically complex, heterogeneous disease, it is one of the most heritable common cancers, with family history a strong predictor of susceptibility [2]. However, the identification of rare, high-risk germline variants for PrCa has lagged significantly behind other heritable cancers [3]. Massively parallel sequencing (MPS) applied to large families with a dense aggregation of disease, where genetic complexity is reduced and rare variants are enriched, has proven successful for rare variant discovery [4].
Source: European Journal of Cancer - Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Tags: Letter to the Editor Source Type: research