(SOURCE: Journal of the National Cancer Institute, news release,
Sept. 27, 2012) WEDNESDAY, Sept. 26 (HealthDay News) -- A
colorectal gene database will help further research into the
disease, a new study suggests. The CRCgene database gathers all
genetic association studies on colorectal cancer. It allows
researchers to accurately interpret the risk factors of the
disease and provides insight into the direction of further
research, according to Julian Little, with the department of
epidemiology and community medicine at the University of Ottawa,
and colleagues. To determine the genetic factors associated with
colorectal cancer, they analyzed data from all published genetic
association studies on colorectal cancer. The researchers
identified 16 independent gene variants with the strongest links
to colorectal cancer, among 23 variants, a number lower than
expected. Unfortunately, the researchers say, this reduces the
feasibility of combining variants as a profile in a prediction
tool to identity people who are