However a small number are called “drivers” and these lead to the disease.

By sequencing many more cancer patients over the next few years, the researchers hope to distil down the mix until they have a handful of targets to hit with treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

“Whole genome sequencing gives us fascinating new insights into a category of alterations that may be especially important in prostate cancer,” said Dr Levi Garraway.

“This first whole genome view shows us tantalising evidence for several new prostate cancer genes that likely would have remained undiscovered had we not been taking a genome-wide approach.”

Prostate cancer is the most prevalent cancer among British men, affecting a third of men over the age of 50 and accounting for about 10,000 deaths every year in England and Wales.

It is second only to lung cancer in terms of loss of life.

Dr Kate Holmes, the Prostate Cancer Charity’s Research Manager, said: “This is one of the first studies to examine the sequence and structure of the genetic code as a whole, rather than one or more single genes alone.

“This has allowed the researchers to identify specific patterns where large disruptions in the structure of the genetic code have taken place.

“These disruptions can rearrange the way genes fit together and the way they function, which is often associated with the development of aggressive prostate cancer.

“This is interesting research that highlights a new approach to understanding the way prostate cancer develops. However, only 14 tissue biopsy samples were analysed in total. The next stage will be to repeat the study on a much larger scale, which will be an extensive piece of work.”

The latest research is published in the journal Nature.

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By Richard Alleyne,
Science Correspondent