Are NF1 mutations the same in NF1 and sporadic cancers?

August 1, 2022

The NF1 gene is one of the most frequently mutated genes in cancers from people without NF1. However, it is not clear whether the NF1 mutations seen in these cancers are the same as those seen in people affected with NF1.  

To answer this question, Alice Bewley, a former Washington University NF Center bioinformatics student, teamed up with Dr. Tychele Turner and her trainee Titilope Akinwe, an Opportunities in Genomics Research (OGR) Post-Baccalaureate. They found that the types of NF1 mutations and their locations within the NF1 gene are different in non-NF1 cancers than in people with NF1. 

Importantly, they found a number of common mutations in these sporadic cancers that will require additional analysis to determine whether they are important for tumor formation and growth.