Czech oncologists to study inherited aspects of cancer
Experts from Brno's Masaryk Oncological Institute (MOU) have joined an international hereditary cancer genes research focused on inherited aspects of cancer, MOU spokeswoman Zuzana Joukalova told CTK today.
The research is designed to help doctors in the future to learn from a patient's genetic information whether he or she can develop a certain type of cancer, Joukalova said.
The research is being coordinated by the Organisation of European Cancer Institute (OECI) that associates most prestigious cancer centres in Europe.
Brno's Oncological Institute is the only Czech member of the OECI.
The MOU joined the project because it has ideal conditions for studying inherited cancer gene. The institute has been collecting blood samples and tissue of healthy and ill patients including records of their treatment, MOU director Rostislav Vyzula said.
The institute's unique databank contains some 3500 samples and it is annually increased by 500 new ones, he said.
"We will start working on the project the moment we receive the application conditions from the OECI," Vyzula said.
The hereditary cancer gene research is not the only international project on which MOU researchers cooperate with their foreign colleagues. The institute cooperates, for instance, with the prestigious U.S. Mayo clinic and it has recently established contacts with the Singapore National University, Vyzula said.
He said that the famous world research institutions work together on many research projects since they are extremely expensive. In addition, joint research can bring better results thanks to the exchange of experience and information, he said.
26. 5. 2008 Czech News Agency (CTK)
