Leading researcher in genetics of complex diseases, Professor Grant Morahan, publishes ‘Identification of Genetic Variants Associated with Sex-Specific Lung-Cancer Risk’ in peer-reviewed journal Cancers
Fast Facts
- Lung cancer is the 5th most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia
- 1 in 19 or 5.3% for males and 1 in 22 or 4.5% for females – 2021
The rate of lung cancer differs between men and women and while behavioural differences, such as the amount men and women smoke, may explain some of the reason, scientists investigated another possibility: the influence of the X chromosome.
Men only have one X chromosome and women have two.
Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research scientists have published their findings in the international journal Cancers, showing the gender difference could be due to cancer risk genes on the X chromosome.
The study was done by Xiaoshun Shi, led by Emeritus Professor Grant Morahan tested the influence of X chromosome genetic variants in male lung cancer patients.
“We found three genetic variations that were significantly associated with male lung cancer cases.
“These variants were not associated with lung cancer in women.
“Our investigation discovered genetic variations that can identify men at risk of lung cancer.
“The significant benefit of these genetic discoveries is that it also identifies potential targets for lung cancer prevention.
With co-authors: Xiaoshun Shi, Sylvia Young the team also found one of the variants was near a gene that when it is mutated causes the muscle disease Duchenne muscular dystrophy (MND), a genetic condition that mostly affects boys.
“Surprisingly, we found DMD was expressed in lung cancer and the male-specific cancer variants we found affected the level of its expression. Examining this gene further, we found that different levels of expression and mutation may have effects on immune function.
