Study Uncovers Genetic Predispositions to Skin Cancer

A impressive, genome-wide association study of some 17,187 cases of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and 287,054 controls was carried out recently by researchers at 23andMe and the Stanford University School of Medicine. The results associated 31 genetic markers with the disease, 14 of which were identified for the first time. These findings account for nearly 11% of the hereditary risk for BCC.
Associations were found particularly in gene regions involved in maintaining telomeres, regulating the immune system and tumor progression, and those regions already implicated in skin cell regulation. Furthermore, these gene regions appeared to exert a larger effect in younger individuals, suggesting environmental factors for BCC might become more influential with aging.
 
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