Genetic code of skin, lung cancer unlocked

Professor Michael Stratton from the Welcome Trust Sanger Institute in Cambridge, who conducted the study, was quoted ABC News as saying that “from here on in, we will think about cancers in a very different way".

"This is a really fundamental moment in the history of cancer research," he added.

First cancer gene maps produced
The researchers have identified the mutations or changes that damage healthy cells. They have further highlighted that cancer is caused due to mutations done to the DNA of healthy cells acquired by a person during his life.

Mutation or the damage results in abnormal lumps or tumor thus deteriorating health and eventually leading to death.

They have found DNA code for skin cancer, which had more than 30,000 errors largely caused by too much exposure to sun.

The DNA code for lung cancer had more than 23,000 errors caused by exposure to cigarette smoke.

DNA code research to transform cancer care
The unlocking of the genetic code will surely transform the way the two cancers are treated and cured.

More knowledge about the cause of the disease will lead to early detection, new drugs etc.

Eventually, a blood test will be able to lead to a treatment that will not only identify but also kill the cause of disease.

First time when people began to think about cancer, they believed that “there was something about genetic material” that caused the disease, said Professor Stratton.

"100 years later, today, we are seeing every single mutation in a cancer. We have never seen cancer revealed in this form before and these catalogues of mutations are telling us about how the cancer has developed so they will inform us on prevention," he added.