biostudies-literatureAhmadiyeh NHoward Hughes Medical InstituteNCI NIH HHS9742-6https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC2906844biostudies-literatureUnknown107(21)The 8q24 gene desert contains risk loci for multiple epithelial cancers, including colon, breast, and prostate. Recent evidence suggests these risk loci contain enhancers. In this study, data are presented showing that each risk locus bears epigenetic marks consistent with enhancer elements and forms a long-range chromatin loop with the MYC proto-oncogene located several hundred kilobases telomeric and that these interactions are tissue-specific. We therefore propose that the 8q24 risk loci operate through a common mechanism-as tissue-specific enhancers of MYC.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America8q24 prostate, breast, and colon cancer risk loci show tissue-specific long-range interaction with MYC.PMC2906844R01 CA109147P50 CA089393CA0893935P50CA90381R01 CA129435R01 CA 109147R01 CA136924P50 CA090381Coetzee GAHills AMacconaill LBeckwith CAHe HHAlmendro VJia LLiu XSDavis MCaswell JLFreedman MLBrown MGrisanzio CHerman PPomerantz MMAhmadiyeh NRegan MMfalse8q24 prostate, breast, and colon cancer risk loci show tissue-specific long-range interaction with MYC.The 8q24 gene desert contains risk loci for multiple epithelial cancers, including colon, breast, and prostate. Recent evidence suggests these risk loci contain enhancers. In this study, data are presented showing that each risk locus bears epigenetic marks consistent with enhancer elements and forms a long-range chromatin loop with the MYC proto-oncogene located several hundred kilobases telomeric and that these interactions are tissue-specific. We therefore propose that the 8q24 risk loci operate through a common mechanism-as tissue-specific enhancers of MYC.2010-01-01T00:00:00Z2010 May2026-05-29T13:26:50.066Z2026-04-08T05:11:29.076ZS-EPMC29068442045319610.1073/pnas.0910668107