Fluorescent imaging could extend the number of breast cancer patients who benefit from HER2-targeting drugs, it was revealed last night.
In the research, scientists have shown how fluorescent lifetime imaging can track the behaviour of proteins in cancer cells.
HER2 drugs, such as Herceptin, are normally used to treat patients with high levels of the protein.
But the new technique will allow doctors to identify patients in whom HER2 has bound to another protein HER3.
Researchers say these patients may well also benefit from the same drugs.
According to the findings, published in Oncotarget, the imaging technique will show the distance between the HER2 and HER3 proteins, indicating whether they are bonding or likely to bond.
Researcher Professor Tony Ng, of King’s College, London, UK, said: "This imaging technique could help us pick up patients who might benefit from these drugs but have previously been overlooked.
“Using this test, we should be able to predict which drugs won’t work in patients and avoid prescribing unnecessary treatments – putting the drugs that we’ve got to better use. The next step is to run clinical trials to see if this test could help patients.
“We hope that one day it could not only improve treatment for breast cancer but also for other cancers – including bowel and lung cancer.”
Weitsman et al.,HER2-HER3 dimer quantification by FLIM-FRET predicts breast cancer metastatic relapse independently of HER2 IHC status. Oncotarget 7 July 2016
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