Oncologists have revolutionized the treatment of breast cancer
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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The Institute of English Columbia (Canada) identified the newest cancer genes, which should change the classical approach to diagnosing this disease, and create a basis for developing new-generation non-standard drugs for more successful treatment of breast cancer.
To date, oncologists have isolated only three distinct subtypes of breast cancer (estrogen-positive, HER2-positive and three-times negative). But the results of the latest research, obtained by various scientific groups (see here and here), completely destroyed such a simplified view of breast cancer.
One of the results of the work of Canadian scientists was the newest classification of breast cancer subtypes, consisting now of 10 categories based not on the generality of the clinical picture of breast cancer, but on the unique genetic properties of tumors. As it is now clear, almost all of these genes have all the chances to offer much-needed more detailed insight into the very essence of the biology of breast cancer, allowing doctors to anticipate in advance whether the tumor will respond to a particular treatment (or much better immediately, without waste of time, to start other means ), whether she will actively metastasize, spreading through the body, with what possibility can we wait for the return of the disease after the course of chemotherapy ...
Today's scientific work, the results of which can be found in the new issue of the journal Nature, is a large-scale study in the field of breast cancer; it can be called the culmination of all the efforts spent for several decades on the study of this disease.
Scientists have studied DNA and RNA for more than 2,000 samples taken from women with breast cancer. Work on collection of samples started 10 years ago. An unprecedented number of materials allowed us to discover the latest actual patterns in the data obtained. Summarize the most significant results of the study.
Breast cancer is reclassified into 10 subgroups on the basis of cumulative genetic parameters correlating with the survival rate. This will certainly change the existing approach to prescribing medications.
Several genes have been discovered that have never been associated with breast cancer. Now these are the newest targets for drugs in the near future. The information will be accessible, which will encourage the development of new anti-cancer drugs.
A close relationship is shown between these genes and cellular signaling pathways that control the growth and division of cells. This indicates how the gene damage leads to the onset of the disease, destroying the main cellular processes.
Despite the fact that the work is unlikely to help today's patients, in the future it will completely change the approach to the treatment of breast cancer, making it many times more successful and more personal. Although the creation of a new strategy will require a certain period and properly organized new research, including the study of the latest genetically targeted drugs
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