Testicular cancer breakthrough

Annie Cavanagh, Wellcome Images

Genetic risk factors associated with testicular cancer identified for the first time

Inherited genetic factors which raise the risk of testicular cancer have been identified for the first time.

Testicular cancer is the most common form of cancer in men between the ages of 14 and 45. Over 2000 men are diagnosed in the UK each year.

Researchers found that inheriting any of the three variants (found on chromosomes five, six and 12) increased the risk of developing the disease up to two-fold, and inheriting all three increased the risk four-fold. However they pointed out that while carrying these variants increased a man’s risk, only a small proportion will go on to develop cancer.

One of the variants was found in a gene called KITLG, which plays a role in skin pigmentation and is found more commonly in white men, which may explain their higher risk of developing this disease.