Scientists now link a particular type of DNA to the development of cancer. This could have game-changing consequences for treatment in the future, The Guardian reports.
– Discovering how these bits of DNA behave inside our bodies is a game-changer, Stanford University professor Paul Mischel told the newspaper.
– We believe they are responsible for many of the most advanced and severe types of cancer affecting people today. If we can block their activity, we can block the spread of these types of cancer, he says.
Small pieces of DNA
The genetic material in question is so-called extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA) – DNA that exists outside the chromosomes of cells, as opposed to the main part of a person’s genome (hereditary material).
EcDNA was discovered a few years ago, and it has since become clear that these little “loops” of genetic material play an important role for several biological functions – but also for diseases like cancer.
– We found that ecDNA acts like carcinogenic genes that somehow split off a person’s chromosomes and start behaving in a way that bends the normal rules of genetics, says Howard Chang, also researcher at Stanford.
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