How chromosomal errors can cause cancer

Washington, Dec 8 (ANI): A new study has proved changes in the number of whole chromosomes, called aneuploidy, can cause cancer.

Almost all human cancers have an abnormal number of chromosomes. Therefore, it is suspected that gene mutations, which promote erroneous chromosome separation during cell division, are to blame for tumour development.

However, experimental limitations made it difficult to prove.

The new Mayo Clinic study showed that aneuploidy could cause cancer by eliminating tumour suppressor genes.

"By using a combination of new and established mouse models for human cancer, we were able to prove that aneuploidy causes cancer and elucidate the mechanism by which it does so," said Dr Jan van Deursen, Mayo Clinic cancer biologist and senior author.

"Now that we understand the mechanism by which aneuploidy causes cancer, it will be easier for other researchers to build on this knowledge - and target new drugs accordingly," Dr. van Deursen added.

The study appears in the journal Cancer Cell. (ANI)