Algorithms for identifying new "cancer genes"

(Immagine: Pixabay CC0) - It is estimated that the number of cancer cases worldwide will double by 2040. This makes the search for genes that cause cancer even more important. A team of researchers from the University of Bern and Inselspital, University Hospital Bern, has now developed algorithms that massively simplify the hunt for "cancer genes" in a poorly understood part of our genome. Cancer is caused by mutations in the genome of cells. Mutated cells grow in an uncontrolled way, adapt to new conditions and can escape the body's defence mechanisms. For this reason, researchers are increasingly focusing on the genetics of tumors. Looking at the genetic profile of these malignant cells helps us to understand how a cancer develops and what drives its spread.