Shutdown of crucial gene helps world’s deadliest cancer grow rapidly — study

Scientists identified a gene that is ‘switched off’ in early stages of pancreatic cancer, allowing rapid tumour growth (Lynne Cameron/PA)

A crucial gene that helps many organs in the body function properly could hold the key to taming one of the world’s deadliest cancers, research suggests.

Scientists have discovered pancreatic cancer is able to shut down certain molecules in the HNF4A gene to help it spread and grow aggressively.