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The investigation against the cure and prevention of cancer is one of the most important in human medicine, and although progress has been made in prevention, even today is one of the most common ailments due to the biological complexity of the disease.

Recently, new research indicates that a gene on the extra chromosome number 21, present in Down syndrome have a positive effect in preventing the growth of malignant tumors. This new trend, explains why people with Down syndrome less frequently suffer various types of cancer. No doubt these new findings will help find new treatments for cancer.

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Down Syndrome, "key cancer?, BBC News 21/05/2009 Note

Hospital researchers Boston Children in the United States, found that the additional gene or genes containing the duplication of chromosome 21 prevents the growth of cancerous tumors sólidos.El gene appears to interfere with the signals that the tumor should be to grow.

"This study gives us valuable information for the search for new therapies based on inhibiting the growth of cancerous tumors," he told the BBC Dr Sandra Ryeom, who led the study. "And it gives us a clear idea of \u200b\u200bthe path are the cells involved in this process of growth." It's basically a new area that we can explore for development of new drugs, "says the researcher.

Humans normally have two copies of the 23 chromosomes that contain all our genetic information. A copy of each of our parents. Down syndrome is a genetic disorder caused by the presence of an extra copy of chromosome 21, ie three copies instead of two. It has been long known that some individuals with Down syndrome appear to have less risk of certain cancers than people who does not suffer from this disorder. But so far no known reason.

Boston scientists found in the study with mice that have an extra copy of one of the genes on chromosome 21-called Dscr1, is sufficient to reduce tumor growth. This gene appears to act in tandem with another gene, which is also located on chromosome 21 - to interfere with the signals that the tumor should be to stimulate the growth of their own blood vessels.

This growth of blood vessels is called angiogenesis. And if the vessels do not supply the tumor with its own blood supply, can not grow and prosper. "We were interested to study this gene Dscr1 because we knew who was involved in preventing vessel growth blood and nourish the tumor cells to make them large and lethal tumors, says Dr. Ryeom.

In theory, the researchers knew that if bloqueban blood vessels feeding the tumor was impossible growth of cancerous tumors. Therefore microscopic tumors and basically would be safe.

"Our hypothesis was that the third copy of chromosome 21 could prevent angiogenesis and this was the reason people with Down syndrome had a broad protection against cancer. " "are protected against all forms of solid tumors, including breast cancer, brain tumors, liver, pancreas and lung. " This sugiería that the reason they were protected had to be related to some aspect critical illness.

"And so we conclude that protection was in the growth of tumor blood vessels," says the scientist. After research with mice, scientists tried to confirm the results with human cells. To this Dr. Ryeom and his team created stem cells from skin cells of a patient with Down syndrome.

When scientists inserted these cells to induce tumors in mice, found that the extra copy of chromosome 21 were never able to form tumors altogether. "This part of the study helped us to confirm that the suppression of angiogenesis seen in the mouse model also applies in humans," says Sandra Ryeom. "And it reveals that these genes could be a powerful tool to a viable therapy for cancer." It is certainly very encouraging that people with Down syndrome give us a new focus on the mechanisms that regulate cancer growth, "says Dr. Ryeom." And with this we can identif ICAR bla potential NCOs prevention and treatment of tumors, "adds the scientist.