Japanese Renal Cell Carcinoma Patients Share Unique Genetic Mutation Pattern
A team of international researchers, including scientists from the National Cancer Center Research Institute (NCC) in Japan, has discovered a unique genetic mutation pattern in Japanese renal cell carcinoma patients. This pattern, called SBS12, is rarely found in other countries, with over 70% of Japanese patients exhibiting it compared to only 2% in other populations studied.
The cause of this specific mutation pattern remains unclear, suggesting the presence of an unknown carcinogenic factor unique to Japan. The researchers believe this factor could be a chemical substance, as SBS12 shares similarities with other mutation patterns caused by such substances.
The team conducted whole genome sequencing on cancer cells from 962 renal cell carcinoma patients from 11 countries. Their findings, published in the scientific journal Nature, highlight the need for further research to identify the cause of SBS12 and develop new prevention and treatment strategies for renal cell carcinoma in Japan.
The researchers plan to conduct a large-scale whole genome sequencing study on Japanese renal cell carcinoma cases in the coming years. This study aims to unravel the cancer onset processes and regional variations specific to the Japanese population.