Colon cancer gene mutation found in 18th century mummy | The Compost Bin | Forums

looks like I can go back to eating bacon

TEL AVIV, Israel, Feb. 29 (UPI) -- A gene mutation associated with colon cancer has been discovered in an 18th century Hungarian mummy. The finding suggests colon cancer's genetic roots predate modern risk factors.

In 1995, some 265 mummies were excavated from a Dominican burial site in Vac, Hungary. The site was used between 1731 and 1838. A combination of low temperatures, ventilation and low humidity allowed for excellent tissue preservation.

Recent DNA analysis of the preserved tissue revealed a mutation of the Adenomatous polyposis coli gene, or APC gene -- a gene linked with the deadly gastrointestinal disease.

"Colorectal cancer is among the most common health hazards of modern times," Rina Rosin-Arbesfeld, a researcher at Tel Aviv University, said in a press release. "And it has a proven genetic background."

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