August 09, 2018- Gastric Cancer Mutation Type Linked to Higher Mutational Load, But Better Prognosis
In a recent study, researchers found that MUC16 gene mutations in gastric cancer patients lead to higher mutational loads than patients who do not have these mutations. Furthermore, the researchers also found that MUC16 gene mutations affect the immune system and could in also be used to identify patients who could respond to immunotherapies. Of the samples tested in the study, MUC16 gene mutation samples show to have the highest mutation rates compared to those without MUC16. This phenomenon was attributed to tumor instability which is prevalent in gastric cancer. According to The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) patients with MUC16 mutations survived a median 46.9 months, as compared to 26.7 months for those without. In addition, researchers reported MUC16 mutations appeared to influence expressions of other genes such as cell cycle checkpoints, DNA replication and repair, antiaging processing, and signaling pathways involved in the immune system. Lastly, MUC16 is known to modulate immune response to cancer thus patients with MUC16 mutations could benefit from treatments that boost the immune system.