Two critical characteristics of breast cancer that are important to treatment can be identified by measuring gene expression in the tumor, a research team led by scientists at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center reports in Lancet Oncology online. Researchers developed and validated a new genomic microarray test that identifies whether a tumor's growth is fueled by the female hormone estrogen and the role of a growth factor receptor known as HER-2 that makes a tumor vulnerable to a specific drug. The status of these factors is now determined by pathology tests.
"This is one important step toward personalized diagnosis and treatment planning based on an integrated genomic test of an individual tumor," said senior author W. Fraser Symmans, M.D., associate professor in the M. D. Anderson Department of Pathology. The Lancet Oncology paper results are the latest in an effort by the research team to develop a single test to quickly and efficiently determine the characteristics and vulnerabilities of a patient's breast cancer and ultimately to guide treatment.
- here's the release on their work