A recent study from Flinders University in Australia has made a big discovery that could change how we understand cancer.
Researchers found that a new kind of genetic material called circular RNAs might increase a person’s risk of getting cancer. These molecules can attach to DNA and possibly cause changes, or mutations, that lead to cancer.
Professor Simon Conn, who leads the Circular RNAs in Cancer Laboratory at Flinders University, said this is the first time scientists have found a genetic molecule that can directly damage our own DNA from inside the body. This means circular RNAs might be useful for creating new cancer treatments and spotting the disease early.
To explore this, the scientists studied blood samples from babies. Some of these babies later developed leukemia, a type of cancer, while others stayed healthy. The babies who got leukemia had higher levels of circular RNAs in their blood at birth.
Professor Conn explained that circular RNAs can stick to different parts of our DNA and break it. The body tries to fix this damage, but these repairs can be messy, leading to small or large DNA errors that might cause cancer.
Dr. Vanessa Conn, another researcher, added that many circular RNAs can work together to break DNA in several places. This can cause something called chromosomal translocation—where broken parts of DNA are put back together incorrectly. These kinds of errors can lead to cancer, especially aggressive leukemia.
Australia has the highest rate of leukemia in the world. Knowing how these dangerous gene changes happen could help doctors treat leukemia better and maybe even prevent it.
The researchers think this discovery could also apply to other types of cancer and diseases. They’re now studying how circular RNAs affect different illnesses.
The study was published in the journal Cancer Cell. It opens the door to new cancer treatments that target circular RNAs, offering hope for improved care in the future.
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