Pseudogenes are genes that have accumulated so many mutations that they can’t code for or create proteins any more.

Now, scientists at the MD Anderson Cancer Centre have shown that characterising a cancer patient’s catalogue of pseudogenes can not only reveal what sub-type of tumour they have, but can also predict how they will respond to therapy and what their survival rate might be.

This creates an exciting new opportunity for the development of new prognostic tools that can potentially be used on a patient-by-patient basis.

Image credit: ynse via flickr.

Repost from the Stojdl Lab blog.