Role of DFNA5 in hearing loss and cancer - a comment on Rakusic et al.

Abstract

Role of DFNA5 in hearing loss and cancer – a comment on Rakusic et al Lieselot Croes,1,2 Ken Op de Beeck,1,2 Guy Van Camp1 1Center of Medical Genetics (CMG), Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; 2Center for Oncological Research (CORE), Department of Medicine, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, BelgiumWe would like to comment on the paper published by Rakusic et al about sudden bilateral hearing loss in gastric cancer as the only symptom of disease.1 The authors state that “Inactivated DFNA5, otherwise described in hereditary bilateral deafness, perhaps favors the development of deafness in patients with gastric cancer”.1 We believe this conclusion is erroneous. Although DFNA5 has been implicated in both hearing loss and cancer, the underlying molecular mechanisms are different and completely opposite (Figure 1). View original paper by Rakusic et al