Breast cancer patients whose tumors express high levels of genes related to immune response are more likely to have their tumor completely eradicated by pre-operative chemotherapy compared to patients with low expression of these genes, Belgian researchers report at the 4th IMPAKT Breast Cancer Conference in Brussels, Belgium.
Their research has identified a group of patients who might be good candidates for treatments with new immune-targeting therapies.
Dr Michail Ignatiadis from Institut Jules Bordet, Brussels, and colleagues analyzed gene expression data from eight studies in which patients had been treated with anthracyclines, with or without taxane chemotherapy, prior to surgery.
"We undertook this pooled analysis[1] to explore whether patients with different breast cancer subtypes respond differently to commonly used pre-operative chemotherapy, based on differences related to the cells of the tumor itself or to the non-tumor cells surrounding the tumor," Dr Ignatiadis explains.
To that end, the researchers analyzed the expression of distinct groups of genes, which they refer to as gene modules, that had been shown by other investigators to be associated with either important oncogenic pathways responsible for tumor cell proliferation or with the way the host immune system reacts to the tumor.
Patients whose tumors expressed high levels of gene modules related to immune system functions were more likely to have their tumor eradicated by the chemotherapy, they found.
"Patients with breast tumors that have high expression of genes related to immune response are more likely to present complete eradication of their tumor after the administration of commonly used pre-operative chemotherapy compared to patients with low expression of these genes. This was mainly observed in the so-called HER2-positive and less so in the ER-negative/HER2-negative and ER-positive/HER2-negative subtypes," said Dr Ignatiadis. '/>"/>
| Contact: Vanessa Pavinato media@esmo.org European Society for Medical Oncology Source:Eurekalert |
Related biology news :
1. £2 million study to reveal workings of dementia genes
2. Jefferson scientists deliver toxic genes to effectively kill pancreatic cancer cells
3. NIHs Genes, Environment and Health Initiative adds 6 studies
4. Scientist plans to test for blood pressure genes affected by age
5. Fishy future written in the genes
6. New tool probes function of rice genes
7. Brainy genes, not brawn, key to success on mussel beach
8. Researchers continue to find genes for type 1 diabetes
9. Genes that control cell death fingered in age-related hearing loss
10. Mapping a clan of mobile selfish genes
11. NJIT professor finds engineering technique to identify disease-causing genes
| Copyright © 2003-2012 Bio-Medicine. All rights reserved. ABOUT | CONTACT US | DISCLAIMER | PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS AND CONDITIONS |  |