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April 24, 2022

Anna Murray 

The research article "Substitution mutational signatures in whole-genome–sequenced cancers in the UK population" was published in the American Association for the Advancement of Science's journal Science on April 22. A treasure mine of information about the origins of cancer has been discovered after DNA analysis of over thousands of whole-genome–sequenced tumors from National Health Service (NHS) patients, with genetic abnormalities offering a detailed history of the damage and repair processes each patient has gone through.

A team of scientists led by Professor Serena Nik-Zainal from Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) and the University of Cambridge examined the whole genetic make-up or whole-genome sequences of 12,222 NHS cancer patients in the largest study of its kind. Their study offers a new perspective on cancer's somatic mutations. Ultra-detailed examination of thousands of tumors from NHS patients have revealed a treasure trove of clues about causes of cancer that may be used for therapy and prevention.

Meanwhile, during the year 2022 cancer prevention awareness week, Beijing United Family Hospital (BJU) held a variety of activities, including online and offline science lectures, oncology series science video dissemination, thyroid cancer explained in the form of comic popular science, and oncologist series of popular science posters. The topic of the 28th National Cancer Prevention Awareness Week, which took place from April 15 to 21, is "Integration of resources and scientific of cancer prevention." The aim of the event is on providing the public with scientifically sound, fair, and accurate anti-cancer science information.