A team of Singaporean scientists have identified a gene
responsible for lung cancer, the Agency for Science, Technology and Research
said on Friday.
A small number of cells,
known as cancer stem cells or tumor- initiating cells (TIC), are responsible
for the promotion of tumor growth. The team of scientists found a marker, known
as CD166, to identify these cells, it said.
The team, led by Bing Lim,
associate director of cancer stem cell biology at the Genome Institute of
Singapore, and Elaine Lim, medical oncologist affiliated with Tan Tock Seng Hospital
and National Cancer Center Singapore, did more genomic study
of the TICs, and discovered several genes that were important for the growth of
cancer cells.
The scientists discovered
that in abnormal instances when the level of a metabolic enzyme known as
glycine decarboxylase rises significantly, it causes changes in the behavior of
the cell, making it cancerous.
The glycine decarboxylase
is a normal occurring enzyme in cells, present in small quantities.
The finding is reported in
the online advance issue of Cell on Jan. 5 and is believed to be a huge step
towards finding a cure for the disease.
VietNamNet/Xinhuanet