Genes that can alter growth of stomach cancer cells identified

Scientists from the Duke-NUS and National Cancer Centre in Singapore identified hundreds of novel genes that are mutated in stomach cancer. Dr. Steven G. Rozen and his team used a state-of-the-art DNA sequencing technology in analyzing tumor and normal tissue from stomach cancer patients to read the DNA sequence of the genes. Of the 18,000 human genes screened, 600 genes mutated in stomach cancer were identified. Further analysis of about 100 stomach tumors found two of the 600 genes identified, FAT4 and ARID1A, to be mutated in 5 percent and 8 percent of stomach cancers, respectively. Portions of the chromosome containing the two genes were found to be missing, providing further evidence that genetic defects affecting these genes occur frequently in stomach cancer. Lab experiments demonstrated that FAT4 and ARID1A function can alter the growth of stomach cancer cells.