Gene scans set to boost cancer treatment

Friday February 7th, 2014

Doctors may soon be able to undertake full genetic scans of women with advanced breast cancer to work out the best treatment for them, researchers report today.

A study in France has found that nearly half of women scanned suffered from genetic alterations which could be treated with existing drugs.

Researchers set out to prove they could identify the best treatments through analysis of the whole genome.

Their study, reported in The Lancet, involved samples from more than 400 patients.

Researchers successfully analysed the full genome in two thirds of the patients - with 46% found to have treatable genetic changes. Another 39% were found to have rare alterations, for which there were no known treatments.

The researchers say the study led to 55 women being given new treatments, currently undergoing clinical trials.

Researcher Professor Fabrice André, from the Institute Gustave Roussy, France, said: "For the first time, we have shown that scanning the whole genome can identify both frequent and rare genomic alterations and can be done in clinical practice in large numbers of women, enabling us to match alterations with individually targeted drugs in patients whose metastatic disease has progressed."

He added: "Until now genetic testing has only analysed a limited number of genes to select which targeted drugs are suitable for individual patients and many treatment opportunities may be missed."

He said he hoped to increase the proportion of women offered new treatments to 30%.

Writing in the journal, Charles Swanton, of the London Research Institute of Cancer Research UK, said the findings suggest that "accelerating" genetic analysis should be done as part of clinical trials.

Lancet 6 February 2014 [abstract]

Tags: Cancer | Europe | Genetics | UK News | Women's Health & Gynaecology

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