Earwax discovery could prevent other problems

The mystery of earwax production has been solved.

Researchers at UC Irvine and in Japan have found that production is

controlled by a gene linked to a rare movement disorder. This discovery

may eventually help prevent breast cancer and excessive body odor.

Dr. Hiroaki Tomita, a postdoctoral fellow at UCI’s Department of

Psychiatry, and his colleagues in Japan found that the gene that produces

earwax was in the same area as the gene that produces a rare genetic

disorder.

While the two genes do not appear to regulate each other, it is not

known how the mutations came to appear so closely to each other on the

16th chromosome.

Previous research has suggested a relation between wet earwax and high

rates of breast cancer.

Tomita said more research is necessary to determine the exact starting

and ending points of the earwax gene for a better understanding of the

relationship between earwax production, body odor and breast cancer.