PCF's Take: This recently published study suggests that rare gene fusions or rearrangements of a gene called KRAS, may be associated with more aggressive metastatic prostate cancers and tumor progression. Until now,a different type of KRAS mutation has been associated with other cancers, but not with prostate cancer. This discovery represents the 25th type of prostate cancer and was made by PCF-supported researchers at the University of Michigan (U-M researchers discovered the first 24 in 2010). "This is the first description of gene fusion as a way to activate the cancer causing gene KRAS, and although rare, helps us understand the biology of the more aggressive forms of this disease", said Dr. Chinnaiyan. This discovery is an example of how genomics is helping scientists to differentiate between subtypes of prostate cancer, identify potential new drug targets and move us closer to the goal of curing more and overtreating less.

Read the full story on the University of Michigan website.