New research out of VCU Massey Cancer Center suggests that the inactivation of NF1—a gene known as Neurofibromin-1 that holds natural tumor-suppressing functions—could be instrumental in the onset of pancreatic cancer, either in tandem with KRAS mutations, which occur in 85-90% of all pancreatic tumors, or even before any mutations occur in the KRAS gene, in partnership with TP53, the most inactivated tumor suppressor gene in human malignancies.
Those living in disadvantaged neighborhoods have significantly higher activity of stress-related genes, research suggests, which could contribute to higher rates of aggressive prostate cancer in African American men.
