An international research project has uncovered the genetic “fingerprints” of a range of cancer causes, with Australian experts saying it points the way to future personalised treatments.

Many cancers are the result of damage to a person’s DNA through exposure to ultraviolet light and tobacco smoking, which causes genetic mutations.

The study, the largest of its kind, looked at more than 2600 DNA samples from 38 different tumour types to try to find similarities between those genetic mutations.

The largest study of its kind has uncovered the genetic "fingerprints" for many underlying causes of cancer.

Professor Sean Grimmond from the University of Melbourne led the Australian effort in the study, contributing about 10 per cent of the genetic samples that were analysed.