Longer Telomeres Linked to Brain Cancer Risk

Recent genomic research led by University of California San Francisco scientists revealed that two common gene variants that lead to longer telomeres — the caps on chromosome ends thought by many scientists to confer health by protecting cells from aging — also significantly increase the risk of developing brain cancers, such as gliomas. The genetic variants in two telomere-related genes are known as TERT and TERC and are carried by 51 percent and 72 percent of the general population, respectively. Although high-grade gliomas are relatively rare cancers, longer telomeres may cause some cells to live longer than they’re supposed to, which is a hallmark of cancer. The research has the potential to extend beyond the scope of gliomas, since TERT variants have also been implicated in lung, prostate, testicular and breast cancers. TERC variants have been associated with leukemia, colon cancer, and multiple myeloma. To read more about this study, click here.