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Just appeared in the journal Lancet Oncology; the degree to which people generate tumors after radiation exposure may be hereditary and not random. If true this has HUGE implications for medicine, radiation safety and spaceflight in that most people may not need as much x-ray/gamma shielding as others while others should not be exposed at all.
Other articles, notably "X-Ray Kin" in this months "Science News" (sorry, premium content) relate that the "radiation sensitivity" gene complex may be related to the genes that are connected to breast masses, BRCA-1 & BRCA-2. which creates a conundrum as regards doing mammograms to find them.
Researchers believe that the defective BRCA2 protein is unable to help fix mutations that occur in other genes. As a result, mutations build up and can cause cells to divide in an uncontrolled way and form a tumor.
I'll quote the whole thing in case unregistered uses can't hot-link the article;
Article....
Other articles, notably "X-Ray Kin" in this months "Science News" (sorry, premium content) relate that the "radiation sensitivity" gene complex may be related to the genes that are connected to breast masses, BRCA-1 & BRCA-2. which creates a conundrum as regards doing mammograms to find them.
Researchers believe that the defective BRCA2 protein is unable to help fix mutations that occur in other genes. As a result, mutations build up and can cause cells to divide in an uncontrolled way and form a tumor.
I'll quote the whole thing in case unregistered uses can't hot-link the article;
Article....
Lancet Oncology 2007; 8:403-410
DOI:10.1016/S1470-2045(07)70107-9
Articles
Genetic predisposition for the development of radiation-associated meningioma: an epidemiological study
Pazit Flint-Richter PhD a and Dr Siegal Sadetzki MD email address a b Corresponding Author Information
Summary
Background
Ionising radiation is an established risk factor for meningioma, yet less than 1% of irradiated individuals develop this tumour. Familial aggregation of meningioma is rare. We aimed to assess whether genetic factors can modify the risk for meningioma formation after the initiating effect of radiation, by comparison of the frequency of meningiomas in families that included irradiated and unirradiated siblings.
Methods
This study was based on a larger epidemiological, genetic case-control study, and included 525 families that were divided according to irradiation and disease status of each of the family's index participant: 160 had radiation-associated meningioma (RAM); 145 were irradiated and did not develop meningioma; 85 had meningioma with no previous history of irradiation; and 135 were unirradiated and did not develop meningioma. Data were collected by questionnaires.
Findings
We found additional first-degree relatives with meningioma in 17 families (11%) in the RAM group, whereas only between one and two such families (1%) were found in the other groups (p<0·0001). All meningiomas seen in the families of the RAM group were in irradiated participants. Also, 22 families (10%) in the RAM group had members with cancers in irradiated sites (including head, neck, and chest) compared with 9 (5%) of irradiated controls (p=0·04).
Interpretation
This dataset of families, which included irradiated and unirradiated, and also affected and unaffected family members, created a natural experiment. Our results support the idea that genetic susceptibility increases the risk of developing meningioma after exposure to radiation. Further studies are needed to identify the specific genes involved in this familial sensitivity to ionising radiation. DNA repair and cell-cycle control genes, such as the ataxia-telangiectasia gene, could be plausible candidates for investigation.
Affiliations
a. Cancer and Radiation Epidemiology Unit, Gertner Institute, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
DOI:10.1016/S1470-2045(07)70107-9
Articles
Genetic predisposition for the development of radiation-associated meningioma: an epidemiological study
Pazit Flint-Richter PhD a and Dr Siegal Sadetzki MD email address a b Corresponding Author Information
Summary
Background
Ionising radiation is an established risk factor for meningioma, yet less than 1% of irradiated individuals develop this tumour. Familial aggregation of meningioma is rare. We aimed to assess whether genetic factors can modify the risk for meningioma formation after the initiating effect of radiation, by comparison of the frequency of meningiomas in families that included irradiated and unirradiated siblings.
Methods
This study was based on a larger epidemiological, genetic case-control study, and included 525 families that were divided according to irradiation and disease status of each of the family's index participant: 160 had radiation-associated meningioma (RAM); 145 were irradiated and did not develop meningioma; 85 had meningioma with no previous history of irradiation; and 135 were unirradiated and did not develop meningioma. Data were collected by questionnaires.
Findings
We found additional first-degree relatives with meningioma in 17 families (11%) in the RAM group, whereas only between one and two such families (1%) were found in the other groups (p<0·0001). All meningiomas seen in the families of the RAM group were in irradiated participants. Also, 22 families (10%) in the RAM group had members with cancers in irradiated sites (including head, neck, and chest) compared with 9 (5%) of irradiated controls (p=0·04).
Interpretation
This dataset of families, which included irradiated and unirradiated, and also affected and unaffected family members, created a natural experiment. Our results support the idea that genetic susceptibility increases the risk of developing meningioma after exposure to radiation. Further studies are needed to identify the specific genes involved in this familial sensitivity to ionising radiation. DNA repair and cell-cycle control genes, such as the ataxia-telangiectasia gene, could be plausible candidates for investigation.
Affiliations
a. Cancer and Radiation Epidemiology Unit, Gertner Institute, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel