Grant: CIHR Clinician Scientist - Phase 1

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is common and kills over 60,000 men and women each year in North America. Up to a third of cases can be attributed to the genes you inherited from your mother and father. In five to ten percent of cases the strong predisposition to CRC is thought to be due to mutations in single genes. Thus if, the causative gene is identified in a family, family members can be tested for the gene and if they have it, undergo regular screening or alternatives like prophylactic surgery to remove the organ where cancer is likely to occur. Many families with familial CRC are not found to carry genes known to predispose to cancer. Identification of further cancer genes would greatly benefit these families. Recently, advances in ways of quickly analyzing all of the genes in a family have enabled us to see which genetic variations correlate in a family with susceptibility to CRC. By identifying genes that predispose to cancer, we might also find out more about how to prevent or cure cancer.