# MYC

Source: https://onco.cc/targets/myc-gene/  
OnCo record `myc-gene` (Target). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

MYC (Myc proto-oncogene protein) is a protein that switches other genes on and off. The public catalogues list it as a drug target, an oncogene driver, a tumour suppressor, a biomarker and a fusion partner, and clinical evidence ties its variants to diagnosis, prognosis or drug response. Tied to Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Skin cancer, Multiple myeloma and 5 more.

## Summary

Transcription factor that binds DNA in a non-specific manner, yet also specifically recognises the core sequence 5'-CAC[GA]TG-3'. Activates the transcription of growth-related genes. Binds to the VEGFA promoter, promoting VEGFA production and subsequent sprouting angiogenesis.

CIViC holds 12 clinical evidence items and 0 assertions across 4 variants, naming Capmatinib, Olaparib, Pazopanib and Ganetespib and others. Open Targets scores its association with cancer at 0.74 (direct and indirect evidence; datatypes affected pathway 0.83, literature 1.00, genetic association 0.65, somatic mutation 0.81, animal model 0.52). IntOGen calls it a driver in 4 cohorts (2 activating, 2 loss-of-function), covering Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, Burkitt Lymphoma, Malignant Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.

## Fields

- Kind: Target
- Last checked: 2026-09-23
- Also known as: MYC proto-oncogene, bHLH transcription factor; Myc proto-oncogene protein; c-Myc; bHLHe39
- Tags: cancer-genes-wave
- Symbol: MYC
- Class: transcription
- Biology: Transcription factor that binds DNA in a non-specific manner, yet also specifically recognises the core sequence 5'-CAC[GA]TG-3'. Activates the transcription of growth-related genes. Binds to the VEGFA promoter, promoting VEGFA production and subsequent sprouting angiogenesis. Regulator of somatic reprogramming, controls self-renewal of embryonic stem cells. Functions with TAF6L to activate target gene expression through RNA polymerase II pause release. Positively regulates transcription of HNRNPA1, HNRNPA2 and PTBP1 which in turn regulate splicing of pyruvate kinase PKM by binding repressively to sequences flanking PKM exon 9, inhibiting exon 9 inclusion and resulting in exon 10 inclusion and production of the PKM M2 isoform. Location: Nucleus, nucleoplasm; Nucleus, nucleolus; Nucleus; Cytoplasm (UniProt). Locus 8q24.21 (HGNC).
- Where found: Non-Hodgkin lymphoma: Open Targets association 0.77 with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (MONDO_0018908); IntOGen driver in 2 cohorts (MLYM, NHL); Skin cancer: Open Targets association 0.60 with skin cancer (MONDO_0002898); Multiple myeloma: CIViC evidence names this disease; Oesophageal cancer: CIViC evidence names this disease; Bladder & urothelial cancer: Open Targets association 0.59 with urinary bladder cancer (MONDO_0001187); Leukaemia: Open Targets association 0.56 with leukaemia (MONDO_0005059)

## Notes

- Written by scripts/fetch-cancer-genes.ts from CIViC, Open Targets, IntOGen, HGNC and UniProt; the function text is UniProt's, condensed and in UK spelling. Roles: CIViC lists 9 therapies; IntOGen calls it an activating (Act) driver in 2 cohorts; IntOGen calls it a loss-of-function (LoF) driver in 2 cohorts; CIViC holds 12 clinical evidence items on its variants; UniProt disease notes describe a translocation or gene fusion involving the gene. Evidence tier "clinical-evidence" is the strongest of those signals.
- Prevalence not recorded: none of the sources gives a positivity rate.
- Diseases the sources name that have no OnCo cancer page yet, so they are not linked: High-grade B-cell Lymphoma, With MYC And BCL2 Rearrangements.

## Sources

- HGNC HGNC:7553: https://www.genenames.org/data/gene-symbol-report/#!/hgnc_id/HGNC:7553
- UniProt P01106: https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/P01106/entry
- NCBI Gene 4609: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/4609
- Ensembl ENSG00000136997: https://www.ensembl.org/Homo_sapiens/Gene/Summary?g=ENSG00000136997

## Connected records

- collections: [CIViC](https://onco.cc/collections/civic/), [IntOGen](https://onco.cc/collections/intogen/), [Open Targets Platform](https://onco.cc/collections/open-targets/)
- cancers: [Bladder & urothelial cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/urothelial/), [Breast cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/breast-cancer/), [Leukaemia (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/leukaemia/), [Multiple myeloma](https://onco.cc/cancers/multiple-myeloma/), [Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/non-hodgkin-lymphoma/), [Oesophageal cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/esophageal/), [Prostate cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/prostate/), [Skin cancer (all types)](https://onco.cc/cancers/skin-cancer/)
- pathways: [Basal cell carcinoma (KEGG map)](https://onco.cc/pathways/basal-cell-carcinoma-signalling/), [Bladder cancer (KEGG map)](https://onco.cc/pathways/bladder-cancer-signalling/), [Cancer metabolism](https://onco.cc/pathways/cancer-metabolism/), [Circadian control](https://onco.cc/pathways/circadian-control/), [DNA replication & origin licensing](https://onco.cc/pathways/dna-replication-licensing/), [DNA replication stress](https://onco.cc/pathways/replication-stress/), [Glutamine addiction](https://onco.cc/pathways/glutamine-metabolism/), [MicroRNAs in cancer](https://onco.cc/pathways/micrornas-in-cancer/), [mRNA translation (eIF4F / mTOR)](https://onco.cc/pathways/mrna-translation-eif4f/), [MYC](https://onco.cc/pathways/myc/), [Notch signalling](https://onco.cc/pathways/notch/), [Oestrogen receptor signalling](https://onco.cc/pathways/er-signaling/), [RAS / RAF / MEK / ERK (MAPK)](https://onco.cc/pathways/ras-mapk/), [Small cell lung cancer (KEGG map)](https://onco.cc/pathways/sclc-signalling/), [Transcriptional machinery & addiction](https://onco.cc/pathways/transcription-addiction/), [Wnt / β-catenin](https://onco.cc/pathways/wnt/)

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JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/myc-gene.json