Tumor Genomes Discovered, Providing Clues to Cancer Origins: New Study

Cancer tumors have been responsible for numerous deaths worldwide, causing challenges not only for the healthcare industry but also for economies.

Starting as an abnormal growth of cancer cells, these tumors may spread to different parts of the body and can lead to death.

For years, multiple scientific research has been conducted to either understand its causes and potential treatment.

However, a new yet extensive study finally discovered a pile of tumor genomes that may trace cancer origins.

Tumor Genomes

(Photo : Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images/Cancer Research UK)

In the new paper published in the journal Science on April 21, researchers have successfully discovered patterns of DNA changes that indicate potential information on how environmental and genetic factors lead to cancer.

The study reportedly showed that researchers used large data sets compared to previously smaller ones to be able to identify such tumor genomes by navigating through hundreds of millions of mutations from the genes of over 12,000 cancer lumps.

According to Nuria Lopez-Bigas, a biologist from the Institute for Research in Biomedicine in Barcelona, Spain, the size of the genome data matters since it allowed scientists to have more power and can produce a more complete conventional, as cited by the UK-based online journal Nature.com.

Nuria added that although it is too early to make conclusions, the discovery has a lot of potential when it comes to the diagnosis of cancer and in terms of further understanding of how cancer tumors are created.

Also Read: Nanoparticles Could Slow Down Tumor Growth, Stop Breast Cancer from Spreading

Tumor Growth

A tumor occurs in the body when cells divide and grow at an excessive rate.

These lumps may occur in different body organs and occur as the rare cancer sarcoma that affect bones and soft tissues in the body.  

This is contrary to the normal biological control of the body when it regulates cell growth and replication, where new cells are produced to replace their older counterparts to conduct new functions, as per MedlinePlus.gov, an online platform by the United States National Library of Medicine.

These lumps can take the form of malignant tumors (cancerous) or benign tumors (non-cancerous).

The US online platform adds that either of these tumors may occur if the balance and distribution of cell growth are disturbed.

While this has been the conventional explanation when it comes to answering the question of reasons behind tumor growth, it still does not explain the causes of tumors at a cellular level and their most fundamental origins.

Cancer Origins

The World Health Organization (WHO) stated that cancer is the foremost cause of death globally, with an estimated 10 million reported human deaths in 2020.

The organization highlighted that many forms of cancers can be treated through early detection.

Theoretical and practical knowledge of cancer and all its related types, including melanoma, lymphoma, leukemia, skin cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, and prostate cancer, has grown over the decades.

Still, creating a grand explanation for cancer causes has remained a challenge for medical professionals and across the scientific community.

In light of the new April 2022 study, tumor genomes may serve as a leverage point for understanding the notorious medical condition.

Related Article: Nature vs Cancer: How Tumor Cells Cheat the System