Specific gene could be worsening cancer outcomes

Patients suffering from breast cancer, lung cancer and leukaemia who fare poorly after treatment could be carrying a particular gene, according to a recent study.

The CYP3A7 gene is usually only active in infancy, but in some people it continues to be switched on into adulthood, and over-activates their metabolism.

Adults with active copies of this gene produce enzymes that break down hormones and about half of all clinically used drugs, which potentially reduces the effectiveness of some cancer treatments.

Scientists at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, found that between seven and eight percent of the 2,500 cancer patients analysed had a cluster of single-letter variations in their DNA code, causing the CYP3A7 to be active into adulthood.

If the results are confirmed in other studies, they could help to suggest ways of better optimising cancer treatments for patients with this version of the CYP3A7 gene.