Human prostate cancer genomes examined.

Advances in DNA sequencing technology have made it possible to rapidly obtain information about genetic changes that occur in cancer.  In a recent study, the DNA of seven prostate cancers was analyzed.  As a result of looking at normal and cancer tissues from the same patients, researchers were able to determine that the changes seen in cancer tend to occur in regions of DNA that have a specific structure.  They also identified a new gene involved in prostate cancer.  Prostate cancer is extremely common and is the second leading cause of male cancer deaths.