Australian researchers at the University of Adelaide discovered a biological mechanism that could shed light on a better understanding of the spread of cancer. The study points out the probability of cancer in men is much more than in women. The reason for this is the presence of a mutated gene in the Y chromosome which is present only in men. The Y chromosome determines the sex of the offspring at the time of fertilization.
“Recent studies have shown that complete loss of the Y chromosome, which is essential to fetal sex differentiation, occurs, with aging, in the cells of some men,” said study author Juan Ramon Gonzalez from Barcelona Institute for Global Health in Spain.“Although the loss of the Y chromosome has previously been associated with a higher incidence of cancer, the causes of this association are poorly understood,” Gonzalez added. These six Y-chromosome genes are involved in cell-cycle regulation, the failure of which can lead to tumor development.
The researchers processed data collected from 9000 people to arrive at the research conclusion.The researchers found that with age the cells in men gradually lose the Y chromosome. “As a consequence, several forms of cancer develop in such men,” said the researchers.
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