A model of genetic defects in tumors may indicate whether the patients with ovarian cancer respond to chemotherapy drugs before starting treatment, a British study shows cancer research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences' today (Monday).
The researchers studied the gene expression patterns that indicate a high level of abnormal chromosomes or chromosomal instability (CIN) in cancer.
They have shown that a subset of these genes are required by CIN tumor cells to survive - and that these cells have higher levels of these genes, making them more resistant to a drug called paclitaxel.
They then sought to determine if it can help doctors determine which patients CIN are more likely to respond to the chemotherapy drugs paclitaxel and carboplatin in a clinical study of patients with ovarian cancer.
Patients with high levels of CIN gene product are more resistant to paclitaxel.
In essence, patients with high levels of CIN responded to carboplatin - another commonly used drug against ovarian cancer.
In contrast, tumors with a low level of CIN were resistant to carboplatin, but responded to paclitaxel.
The researchers believe that clinical trials for the INC - which can be identified by dye stained cells under a microscope - could be available within five years, saving patients from ineffective chemotherapy and lead to personalized treatment.
Lead author Dr Julian downwards, based at Cancer Research UK London Research Institute, said: "Our work suggests that resistance to paclitaxel is motivated by various deficiencies found in tumor cells leading to abnormal cell division cancer. These changes also in May tumors more sensitive to carboplatin treatment. "
Each year in the United Kingdom, more than 6600 cases of ovarian cancer are diagnosed and approximately 4,500 women die of this disease.
Principal co-author Dr James Brenton, headquartered in the United Kingdom, Cancer Research Research Institute of Cambridge and ovarian cancer in clinical Addenbrooke's Hospital, said: "All ovarian cancer patients are treated with carboplatin, but most of those who are more aggressive cancer treated with paclitaxel as well. We do not know which patients will benefit from further paclitaxel, it is very important that we develop tests to better select the right drugs for patients. "
Lead author Dr. Charles Swanton, based at Cancer Research UK London Research Institute and the Royal Marsden Hospital, said: "So far it has been difficult to predict which patients will benefit in May of chemotherapeutic drugs before each treatment. We hope that simple test on the basis of these results will save patients from unnecessary treatment with paclitaxel, which can have severe side effects with limited benefit.
Dr Lesley Walker, director of cancer information at Cancer Research UK, said: "This is an excellent example of how basic science can lead to discoveries that improve the treatment of patients. One of the Cancer Research UK is create the most targeted treatments with fewer side effects, and this is a fundamental step in achieving this - possibly customize the treatment of thousands of people suffering from cancer. "
The researchers studied the gene expression patterns that indicate a high level of abnormal chromosomes or chromosomal instability (CIN) in cancer.
They have shown that a subset of these genes are required by CIN tumor cells to survive - and that these cells have higher levels of these genes, making them more resistant to a drug called paclitaxel.
They then sought to determine if it can help doctors determine which patients CIN are more likely to respond to the chemotherapy drugs paclitaxel and carboplatin in a clinical study of patients with ovarian cancer.
Patients with high levels of CIN gene product are more resistant to paclitaxel.
In essence, patients with high levels of CIN responded to carboplatin - another commonly used drug against ovarian cancer.
In contrast, tumors with a low level of CIN were resistant to carboplatin, but responded to paclitaxel.
The researchers believe that clinical trials for the INC - which can be identified by dye stained cells under a microscope - could be available within five years, saving patients from ineffective chemotherapy and lead to personalized treatment.
Lead author Dr Julian downwards, based at Cancer Research UK London Research Institute, said: "Our work suggests that resistance to paclitaxel is motivated by various deficiencies found in tumor cells leading to abnormal cell division cancer. These changes also in May tumors more sensitive to carboplatin treatment. "
Each year in the United Kingdom, more than 6600 cases of ovarian cancer are diagnosed and approximately 4,500 women die of this disease.
Principal co-author Dr James Brenton, headquartered in the United Kingdom, Cancer Research Research Institute of Cambridge and ovarian cancer in clinical Addenbrooke's Hospital, said: "All ovarian cancer patients are treated with carboplatin, but most of those who are more aggressive cancer treated with paclitaxel as well. We do not know which patients will benefit from further paclitaxel, it is very important that we develop tests to better select the right drugs for patients. "
Lead author Dr. Charles Swanton, based at Cancer Research UK London Research Institute and the Royal Marsden Hospital, said: "So far it has been difficult to predict which patients will benefit in May of chemotherapeutic drugs before each treatment. We hope that simple test on the basis of these results will save patients from unnecessary treatment with paclitaxel, which can have severe side effects with limited benefit.
Dr Lesley Walker, director of cancer information at Cancer Research UK, said: "This is an excellent example of how basic science can lead to discoveries that improve the treatment of patients. One of the Cancer Research UK is create the most targeted treatments with fewer side effects, and this is a fundamental step in achieving this - possibly customize the treatment of thousands of people suffering from cancer. "
No comments:
Post a Comment