Researchers from Francis Crick Institute, formerly known as UK Centre for Medical Research and Innovation, have come up with a breakthrough discovery in breast and ovarian cancers that scientists had been attempting to unravel for decades. Scientist from Francis Crick Institute funded by Cancer Research UK cracked the genetic cause of some of the breast and ovarian cancers.

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"Understanding the nuts and bolts of cancer is vital if we are to beat this disease. This landmark discovery reveals another potential chink in cancer's armour - and it could help lead to more personalised treatments that take patients' genetic make-up into account and ultimately save more lives," noted Nell Barrie, senior science communications manager at Cancer Research UK, reported Cancer Research UK.

According to the study published in the journal Cell, the researchers conducted a study in nematodes for five long years to find that a protein called RAD15 is switched on by some key proteins to repair the cancer-causing DNA damaged in the cell. Proteins produced by genes RAD51, BRCA1 and BRCA2 in human work rigorously to fix the defects in DNA in case of damage. Women with defective or mutated BRCA1, BRCA2 and RAD51 are at an increased risk of developing breast and ovarian cancers.

RAD51 gene participates in common DNA repair process associated with double-strand DNA break and activation of homologous activation, noted UniProt. BReast-CAncer susceptibility gene-1 and BReast-CAncer susceptibility gene-2 respond to DNA damage by DNA repair and regulation of transcription, according to a study published in NCBI.  

Though it was known earlier that defects in protein cousins of RAD51 also had an important role to play in enhancing cancer risk in women, the researchers were not sure of the mechanism involved. Fortunately, now the research team have discovered that the protein cousins boost the DNA repair mechanism by switching on the RAD51 by changing its shape.

Dr. Simon Boulton, lead author and group leader of the study, noted: "These protein cousins - known as paralogs - have been an enigma for about 30 years. But now we know they are right at the heart of repairing cell damage and helping to stop breast and ovarian cancers developing. In fact they have as vital a role as the more well-known BRCA genes in preventing the disease."

TagsCancer breakthrough, Ovarian Cancer, breast cancer, Cancer treatment, Cancer Research UK, Cancer