Genetic clue could predict risk of breast cancer return
SCIENTISTS could soon be able to predict the chances of breast cancer returning in women who take a common hormone therapy.
Researchers at Edinburgh University have uncovered genetic changes which may make it possible to identify sufferers who are likely to relapse.
It is hoped these patients could be given alternative treatments in a bid to lower their chances of developing incurable secondary breast cancer.
Scientists studied tumour samples from patients who had been taking aromatase inhibitor drugs for up to two years and found changes to their “chemical signatures”. None had undergone surgery to remove their tumours.
Dr Andy Sims, of the MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, said: “Treatment resistance is hard to study and laboratory experiments often do not closely resemble the situation in patients.
“This is the first time we have been able to investigate genetic changes in individual patients’ tumours over time.
“We hope the findings will help to develop new tests that predict which women on hormone therapy are likely to relapse so that they can be offered alternative treatments.”
Dr Simon Vincent, of charity Breast Cancer Now, described the findings as “promising”. He added: “It could help us better understand how some breast cancers become resistant to therapy and what we can do about it.”