A handful of newly identified mutations may contribute to the development of kidney cancer, a Nature paper suggests.

Patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma, the most common form of adult kidney cancer, frequently carry a mutation in the VHL gene. However, a large sequencing study of DNA of more than 3,500 genes from around 100 tumour samples highlights the presence of mutations in a variety of other genes.

Three of these genes are involved in modifying proteins called histones, which help package DNA into chromosomes in the nucleus and have a role in gene regulation. Recurrent mutations in the NF2 gene, which encodes a tumour suppressor protein, are also noted.

The study, by Andrew Futreal and colleagues, hints that a variety of different genetic subtypes may contribute to kidney cancer, and highlights the value of large-scale sequencing studies in uncovering genetic diversity.


Article DOI: 10.1038/nature08672