Parkinson's disease and cancer are two sides of the same coin
There is evidence that the pathogenetic mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases, especially Parkinson's disease, may overlap with the pathogenetic mechanisms of the development of certain types of cancer. The identification of these relationships can help to understand the pathogenetic changes occurring in both diseases, as well as provide an additional tool for assessing the risk of cancer in patients with Parkinson's disease and their relatives.
To find out the relationship between Parkinson's disease and cancer, researchers from the University of Utah (Salt Lake City) analyzed data contained in the archives and the state cancer registry. The latter contains information about 100,817 patients with oncological diseases. During the analysis, 2,998 people were identified, Parkinson's disease was indicated as the cause of their deaths that occurred between 1904 and 2008.
Comparison of the results of the analysis of the two databases revealed a marked increase in the risk of prostate cancer in patients with Parkinson's disease and their relatives. Analysis of data on 22,147 patients with prostate cancer and their relatives confirmed the existence of a similar pattern, that is, an increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease in this population.
The same bidirectional pattern was revealed for melanoma. In this case, the conclusions were made based on the analysis of data on 7,841 patients with this cancer and their relatives.
The results obtained indicate the existence of a simultaneous hereditary predisposition to neurodegenerative diseases and certain types of cancer. The authors believe that the results of their work provide a basis for the future detection of genetic variations that lead to neurodegeneration in some people and the development of skin or prostate cancer in others. Moreover, they can influence screening strategies aimed at early detection of these malignant diseases.
Articles by Kareus et al. Shared Predispositions of Parkinsonism and Cancer: A Population-Based Pedigree-Linked Study and Walter A. Rocca Families With Parkinson's Disease and Cancer are published in the journal Archives of Neurology.
Evgeniya Ryabtseva
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of JAMA and Archives Journals: Study Examinations Association Between Parkinson's Disease, Cancer.
10.09.2012