U.S. Researchers have finally zeroed in on the new tumor suppressor gene, which is mutated in Wilms tumor, and the culprit behind the most frequently occurring kidney cancer in children.
Miguel Rivera and team from Massachusetts General Hospital said that almost 30 percent of Wilms tumor is due to mutations taking place in a gene called WTX. They delved into the tumor samples taken from 82 patients to evaluate genetic aberrations that are connected to the disease.
During the process, the mutation in WTX gene was identified, though the knowledge about the key purpose of the protein encoded by WTX still remains a mystery. Yet the position of the gene on the X chromosome has raised the curiosity of the researchers.
This discovery indicates that X chromosome genes may have a crucial role in cancer.