Prostate Cancer Research Paper

Words: 649
Pages: 3

Cumulative Association of Five Genetic Variants with Prostate Cancer
Introduction
There have been different arrangements within the genome that can be linked with certain diseases shown in some studies. This study’s focus is on prostate cancer and some of the genetic linkages to it. “Age, race, and family history are three factors that have a consistent association with the risk of prostate cancer” (Five Genetic Variants Associated with Prostate Cancer. (2008). New England Journal of Medicine, 358(25), 2738-2741. doi:10.1056/nejmc080680). Scientists have chosen this subject because there is a higher risk of having prostate cancer if an immediate relative has it; they are trying to understand the genetic background.
Scientists did this research because they wanted to analyze the areas within the genome where links to prostate cancer might be found. One area specifically is within the DNA sequence. The scientists are trying to find out which genes contain a Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) (variations within the DNA sequence
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DNA samples were obtained by 83 percent of the subjects. Questionnaires were obtained from all of the subjects, asking about immediate family history of prostate cancer.
With the DNA samples provided, polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR) and spectrometry were used to identify, separate, and amplify the DNA samples. Some of the tests/instruments used include: the MassARRAY software (used for PCR), the iPLEX system (used for spectrometry), SAS/Genetic software (used to see the differences of SNPs), and the odds ratio test (with a 95% confidence interval) (used to compare subjects that have two or more factors with those that have no factors) (Five Genetic Variants Associated with Prostate Cancer. (2008). New England Journal of Medicine, 358(25), 2738-2741.