Gene activity in testicular cancer
Project
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Testicular cancer is the most frequent cancer among young men. The cause of the disease is largely unknown, but hereditary factors and conditions during pregnancy are important. Insight into gene activity in testicular cancer can provide better biomarkers and more precise diagnostics.
Background
The mechanism of testicular cancer development is largely unknown, but changes in DNA via methylation probably play an important role. It is known that Cisplatin leads to altered DNA methylation - this may explain why the treatment increases the risk of developing metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease.
The aim of the study is to investigate the significance of DNA methylation for the development of testicular cancer and for developing late effects after chemotherapy.
Changes in DNA should be examined in blood samples from testicular cancer patients before diagnosis and from people who do not have testicular cancer. DNA methylation will be compared in the two groups. In another group of testicular cancer patients, some of whom have developed metabolic syndrome, we want to see whether cisplatin has led to changes in DNA methylation, and whether the changes in this case are related to the development of metabolic syndrome.
Purpose
The results may make it possible to find biomarkers for early diagnosis of testicular cancer. Moreover, they can help to detect the risk of developing late effects as a result of cisplatin - in order to initiate preventive measures as early as possible.
Find
A recently published study from the project shows that there are more areas of DNA irregularities among men treated for testicular cancer, compared to men who have not undergone such treatment. The areas that were particularly susceptible to changes were precisely the same areas that are related to the development of metabolic syndrome.
Publications
Cisplatin treatment of testicular cancer patients introduces long-term changes in the epigenome. Clin Epigenetics, 11 (1), 179. doi 10.1186/s13148-019-0764-4, PubMed 31796056
Read more about the Cancer Registry's research on cancer biomarkers.
About the project
Project group Cancer Registry:
- Marcin Wojewodzic, Project manager
- Tom Grotmol, researcher
- Trine B Rounge, researcher
Partners:
- Trine B Haugen, OsloMet
- Fredrik Wiklund, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
- Hege Sagstuen Haugnes, University Hospital of North Norway (UNN)/University of Tromsø (UiT)
- Robert Lyle, Norwegian Sequencing Center
- Jourik A Gietema, University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands
- Arnoldo Frigessi, OUS/UiO
- Sophie D Fosså, OUS, KRG
- Silvia Polidoro Italian Institute for Genomic Medicine (IIGM), Turin, Italy
- Giovanni Fiorito Italian Institute for Genomic Medicine (IIGM), Turin, Italy
REC: The prospectus has been approved by the Regional Committees for Medical and Health Research Ethics (ref. 2018/442)
Duration: July 2015 - active
Funding: The project is funded by the Norwegian Cancer Society