Friday, November 28, 2014
Breast Cancer Therapy Resistance Linked to Gene Mutation
A new gene mutation has been identified that may be able to explain why a group of breast cancer patients do not respond as expected to anti-hormone therapy. Breast cancer is most times comprised of tumors which are fueled by estrogen and other hormones The estrogen binds to estrogen receptors within the tumor cell. This binding activate estrogen receptor dependent genes which lead to the growth of cancers to grow. Tamoxifen, fulvestrant or aromatase inhibitors are ant-estrogen agents generally used to combat the cancerous tumors. Unfortunately a large number of patients do not respond to these therapies due to mutations in the tumors that prevent them from reacting to the drugs. After tests were done on four separate patients, investigators performed sequencing on the tumors and identified the D189Y mutation in the LYN kinases family. "When present in ER+ breast cancer cells, these mutations induce an advantage in proliferation of cells as well as resistance to anti-estrogen therapies," said Schwarz. There are hopes that since the LYN mutation has been discovered that studies will being on a LYN inhibitor that would allow the hormone therapy to once again be affective on the tumors.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/286119.php
Labels:
Breast cancer,
D189Y,
gene mutation,
LYN
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