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In recent news we’ve learnt that obesity increases the risks for developing ovarian cancer, but we’re still miles away from finding out all the causes of ovarian cancer. This week a new study published in the Nature Genetics Journal and funded by a non-profit organization from Phoenix, Arizona, has revealed a new cause of a rare and aggressive ovarian cancer. This is spectacular news, so read on and find out about it!
The Cause of a Rare and Aggressive Ovarian Cancer has Finally Been Found
The cancer in question is known as a small cell carcinoma hypercalcemic type of the ovary (in short, SCCOHT) and it is a rare and very aggressive form of ovarian cancer. It appears mostly in young women and girls and it has a very high morbidity rate.
Scientists found that there is a very strong link between a mutation of a gene called SMARCA4 and women who develop SCCOHT. The president of the Phoenix non-profit organization and senior author of the study, Dr. Jeffrey Trent believes that the correlation between the development of SCCOHT and the mutations in the SMARCA4, which can mean that the horrible disease can start to be understood and thus cured.
This particular type of ovarian cancer strikes at around 24 years of age, but there have been cases of baby girls getting sick with SCCOHT as young as 14 months. The youngest girl with the disease that took part in the study was 9 years old.
The discovery of the cause of a rare and aggressive ovarian cancer was described as a landmark in the field and now that the cause of SCCOHT was discovered, the scientists hope to start the clinical trials as soon as possible, so that a cure can be found for this ruthless killer. The SMARCA4 gene was already known to be linked to other types of cancers of the brain, pancreas and lung.
What are your thoughts on the matter? Did you know of this aggressive type of ovarian cancer? Do you know someone who suffers from it?
