Category Archives: Genetic Therapy

Public release date: 22-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Mary Rice mary.rice@riceconseil.eu ECCO-the European CanCer Organisation

Vienna, Austria: The largest study ever on the effect of genetic variability on the toxicity of chemotherapy in breast cancer shows that it is possible to predict which patients are most likely to suffer serious side effects, a researcher will tell the 8th European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC-8) today (Friday). Dr. Christof Vulsteke, from the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium, will explain how his team's research is an important step towards achieving a personalised chemotherapy regime for each patient.

The researchers examined germline DNA[1] from blood samples from 1089 breast cancer patients who were treated between 2000 and 2010 with three commonly used chemotherapy drugs (fluorouracil, epirubicin and cyclophosphamide). For each patient, the variability in the genes that are important for metabolising these three chemotherapeutic drugs was compared with the side effects experienced.

"We found that genetic variation in one gene was highly correlated with chemotherapy side effects," says Dr. Vulsteke. "Investigating this gene before starting chemotherapy would allow us to support the patient with either growth factors to increase the patient's immunity, or dose modifications, or a different chemotherapy regimen better adapted to the patient, or a combination of these."

Currently, most patients receive the standard treatment; however, the side effects they suffer can be very different, ranging from severe to very minimal reactions. Making adjustments to treatment would have a major impact on both the physical and psychological well-being of patients, and on the financial burden to society posed by chemotherapy side effects, for example, hospitalisation.

The most important side effects of chemotherapy are mainly caused by immune system depression, which can result in potentially life threatening infections. Even though patients may take every precaution to avoid contamination, the vast majority of these infections are caused by naturally occurring microorganisms in the patient's own gastrointestinal tract. Other serious side effects noted in patients receiving chemotherapy are bleeding, severe infection of the mouth mucosa, severe bowel inflammation, nausea, and vomiting with dehydration.

"Our research has brought us one step closer towards prescribing personalised chemotherapy treatment with a minimum of side effects," says Dr. Vulsteke.

The researchers now intend to look for data from other European countries in order to further validate their results. They will also continue to follow up on their own patients; currently the patients are followed up, on average, for five years.

"In 2016 we will have a very accurate assessment of the impact of genetic variation on breast cancer survival and recurrence," says Dr. Vulsteke. "Our future research will focus on other genes involved in processing the chemotherapeutic drugs that we studied, and we will also enlarge the scope of the research by including other chemotherapeutic drugs where we can hypothesise that genetic variability plays an equally important role," he will conclude.

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Understanding individual genetic variation can help predict chemotherapy side effects

A new study conducted by a multinational research team has found the reason behind some patients failure to respond to several types of cancer drugs.

Scientists found a common variation in the BIM gene in people of East Asian descent that contributes to some patients' rejection of Tyrosine kinase inhibitor drugs (TKI).

TKI drugs fight certain blood cell cancers, such as chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), and non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLC) with mutations in the EGFR gene.

Scientists determined how the BIM gene variant caused TKI resistance in cells and devised a strategy to overcome it, explained senior author and associate professor in S. Tiong Ong of the Cancer and Stem Cell Biology at Duke University Medical Center.

"A novel class of drugs called the BH3-mimetics provided the answer," Ong added.

"When the BH3 drugs were added to the TKI therapy in experiments conducted on cancer cells with the BIM gene variant, we were able to overcome the resistance conferred by the gene. Our next step will be to bring this to clinical trials with patients."

Researchers believe the drug resistance occurred because of impaired production of BH3-containing forms of the BIM protein.

They say the finding will be good news for those with the BIM gene variant that exists in about 15 percent of the typical East Asian population.

People of European or African ancestry do not have this gene variant, the study confirmed.

Ong stressed that the next step will be to bring the new strategy to clinical trials with patients.

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Genetic variant, drug resistance linked

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FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J., March 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --The final results of the Additional KIF6 Risk Offers Better Adherence to Statins (AKROBATS) study will be presented at the American College of Cardiology's 61st Annual Scientific Session & Expo being held March 24-27, 2012, in Chicago, IL. The AKROBATS study is a collaborative effort between the Medco Research Institute, a subsidiary of Medco Health Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: MHS - News) and Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX - News), the world's leading diagnostic testing company.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100609/MEDCOLOGO )

Presentation Details

Session Number: 1258

Session Type: ACC Moderated Poster Contributions

Session Start/End Time: Monday, Mar 26, 2012, 9:30 AM -10:30 AM

Location: McCormick Place South, Hall A

Presentation Number: 1258-376

Abstract Title: Patient knowledge of pharmacogenetic information improves adherence to statin therapy: Results of the Additional KIF6 Risk Offers Better Adherence to Statins (AKROBATS) trial.

Presenter: Scott L. Charland, Pharm.D., Medco Research Institute

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Medco to Present Results of National Study on Effect of Genetic Testing on Patient Medication Adherence at the ...