Cancer is the most common human genetic disease. Approximately one in three people in Europe and North America develops one of the approximately 200 different types of cancer, and it is the cause of death of one in five.

Three new genetic variants that increase testicular cancer risk

BRAF mutation confirmed as a strong target for cancer drugs

Global genetics consortium sets sights on cancer

Researchers from four continents announced the launch of the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC), a major collaboration designed to identify the key genetic mutations involved in up to 50 types of cancer. 29/04/08

PALB2 gene linked to breast and childhood cancer risk

Women who inherit one damaged copy of the PALB2 gene have double the risk of developing breast cancer, and children who inherit two damaged copies have a newly identified serious disorder linked to childhood tumours. 19/02/07

First UK baby selected to be free of cancer gene

A woman is pregnant with what is thought to be the first child in the UK to have been selected to be free of a cancer gene, The Times has reported. 15/05/06

Familial breast cancer BRCA gene trial

A new international phase II clinical trial is to look at the effect of a novel form of drug treatment for metastatic hereditary breast cancer. 02/05/06

How tumour cells acquire resistance to drugs

Lung tumours are found to become resistant to two drugs when they acquire a new genetic mutation. 07/03/05

HFEA approves embryo screening for cancer

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has approved the screening of embryos, using pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, for familial adenomatous polyposis, an inherited bowel cancer. 02/11/04

CHEK2 gene increases risk of breast cancer

Inheriting the wrong version of a gene called CHEK2 doubles a woman's risk of developing breast cancer, Cancer Research UK scientists have confirmed. 17/05/04

Angiozyme

An RNA molecule that can inhibit the growth of new blood vessels around tumours. 19/04/04

Gleevec (imatinib)

Small-molecule drug used to treat chronic myeloid leukaemia. 19/04/04

Expanding role for genetics in public health: Wanless report

The report 'Securing Good Health for the Whole Population', by Government adviser Derek Wanless has been published. 26/02/04

Herceptin (trastuzumab)

A therapeutic antibody used to treat advanced breast cancer. 04/02/04

DNA arrays and cancer classification

DNA arrays can be used to classify different types of cancer that may be difficult to distinguish by other methods. 27/08/03

Genetic tumour profiling

Predicting therapeutic response in breast cancer patients. 13/08/03

Aurora2 may be cancer 'susceptibility' gene

A common variant of the Aurora2 gene may increase susceptibility to cancer development – one of the first examples of a 'low penetrance' tumour susceptibility gene in humans. 24/07/03

Using microarrays to distinguish primary and metastatic tumours

DNA microarrays ('chips') have been used to identify a gene expression 'signature' that can distinguish non-metastatic primary tumours both from metastatic tumours and from primary tumours that are destined to metastasise. 21/03/03

Proteomics and cancer diagnosis

Large-scale protein analysis can identify cancer-related proteins that can be used as diagnostic markers and perhaps as targets for drug development. 02/02/03

Genes, chemicals and cancer: New report

A new Government advisory committee report looks at the interaction between genes, environmental chemicals and cancer. 11/07/02

Melanoma and the BRAF gene

The Cancer Genome Project has identified a major genetic change involved in 70 per cent of cases of malignant melanoma. 09/06/02

Reducing breast cancer risk

Two studies find that removal of the ovaries reduces cancer risk in BRCA mutation carriers. 31/05/02

Types of gene involved in cancer

Mutations in several different types of genes are involved in cancer. Some of these genes control growth, or stop excessive growth, while others control a cell's blood supply or its position in the body. 08/06/00

Cancer as a genetic disease

The transition from a normal cell to a malignant cancer is driven by changes to the cell's DNA. 08/06/00