The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Research Highlights provides a glimpse into recently published studies in basic, translational and clinical cancer research from MD Anderson experts. Current advances include clinical studies to investigate novel treatment strategies, a new understanding of cancer precursor lesions, identifying a calcium signaling receptor, characterizing nodal immune flair after immunotherapy, a community screening tool for BRCA testing and a new method for diagnosing Clostridioides difficile infections.
Tag: BRCA
Black and White Women Have Same Mutations Linked to Breast Cancer Risk
The prevalence of genetic mutations associated with breast cancer in Black and white women is the same.
Mutations Commonly Linked to Breast Cancer Found to Pose No Increased Risk, Population Study Reveals
Several genetic mutations previously linked to breast cancer and included on commercial genetic tests, including direct-to-consumer tests, were found not to increase a woman’s risk of disease, according to a population study of more than 64,000 women published online today in the New England Journal of Medicine from several institutions, including Penn Medicine.

Penn’s Basser Center for BRCA Awards 2020 Basser Global Prize to Bella Kaufman from Israel’s Sheba Medical Center
The Basser Center for BRCA at the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania, the world’s first comprehensive center aimed at advancing research, treatment, and prevention of BRCA-related cancers, is pleased to announce Bella Kaufman, MD, of the Sheba Medical Center in Tel-Hashomer, Israel, as the recipient of the eighth annual Basser Global Prize.
Ludwig San Diego Study Identifies Deadly Genetic Synergy in Cancer Cells and Shows it Might Be Exploited for Therapy
A Ludwig Cancer Research study has identified a new instance in which the simultaneous mutation of two nonessential genes—neither of which is on its own vital to cell survival—can cause cancer cell death.

A New Approach to Tailoring Cancer Therapy: Tapping Into Signaling Activities in Cancer Cells
The Weizmann Institute’s Dr. Ravid Straussman and colleagues developed a method that utilizes cellular signaling to determine the best treatment for a given tumor. The method can help tailor treatments and identify new drug-development targets. In fact, the team has already singled out a gene that serves as a target for treating BRCA-related breast cancers.