Genetic factors contributing to the spread of cancer throughout the body

Cancer usually kills by spreading from its original site to other parts of the body. This process is called metastasis. Past studies have found links between certain genes and cancer’s spread. Slightly different versions, or variants, of some genes may make a person’s cancer more likely to spread. In this project, researchers are using BioVU samples to look for gene variants that affect cancer’s spread. If they find strong links between the certain variants and metastasis, cancer patients could be tested for these variants. Knowing whether a patient has these variants could help doctors treat cancer patients. They could offer more radiation therapy or do more frequent follow-ups. This could help keep these tumors from coming back and spreading.