Basal cell carcinoma is one of the most common types of skin cancer. S estimates that 90% of the population is at risk of developing it sometime during their life, especially due to age and exposure to UV rays from the sun. Although common, this type of cancer is rarely fatal, and so far has been little studied.

But now a team of geneticists at the University of Geneva (Switzerland), have sequenced the DNA of these tumors in order to determine the genes responsible for carcinogenesis, ie in the formation of tumors. Their discovery of new genes that cause basal cell carcinoma can pave the way for designing new personalized treatment methods for each tumor. The results are published in «Nature Genetics».