Gene ERCC1
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Also known as
RAD10, COFS4, excision repair cross-complementing 1Overview
ERCC1 (Excision Repair Cross-Complementing 1) encodes a key component of the nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathway, which removes bulky DNA adducts caused by UV radiation, chemotherapy drugs, and environmental carcinogens. ERCC1 forms a complex with XPF to perform the crucial 5' incision during repair.ERCC1 expression levels in tumors predict response to platinum-based chemotherapy (cisplatin, carboplatin, oxaliplatin). Low ERCC1 tumors have impaired DNA repair and are more sensitive to platinum drugs, while high ERCC1 tumors are often resistant. This has led to ERCC1 testing to guide chemotherapy selection in lung and other cancers. Rare germline mutations cause ERCC1 deficiency syndromes with photosensitivity and neurodegeneration.
Understanding your ERCC1 genetic status provides insights into DNA repair capacity and may be relevant for cancer treatment decisions. ERCC1 variants affect the body's ability to repair DNA damage from sunlight and environmental exposures, potentially influencing cancer risk and response to DNA-damaging therapies.