UAlg professor leads study that reveals new clinical biomarker of breast cancer

“This biomarker is associated with the most common mutations in breast cancer and may help to identify the most appropriate treatment for each patient”, explains the UAlg.

Ana Teresa Maia, professor at the University of Algarve (UAlg) and researcher at the Center for Research in Health Technologies and Services (CINTESIS), has just published a article, in the journal npj Breast Cancer, which identifies a new biomarker for prognosis in breast cancer patients.

“This biomarker is associated with the most common mutations in breast cancer and could help to identify the most appropriate treatment for each patient”, explains the UAlg.

According to researcher Ana Teresa Maia, «in this work we looked at the PIK3CA gene, which is the most frequently mutated in breast tumors, and we tried to understand its clinical importance, which until now was quite elusive».

The researchers found that when they evaluate these mutations in a different way than is currently done, they have an important clinical character, being indicative of the prognosis of each patient.

«It is as if we were looking at the same thing, but with different glasses», frames the researcher.

“Of the various molecules that exist in a cell, DNA contains the basic information about cell function, including the mutations responsible for tumors. But the ARN reveals the expression of that information, that is, it represents the way the information is read. It was by looking at RNA from tumors from several clinical centers that we identified a relationship between the expression of mutations and the probability of survival in these patients, the clinical and molecular characteristics of the tumors, as well as the mechanisms that we think underlie these associations», adds.

This work was supported by partners from the University of Cambridge and the Netherlands Cancer Institute, among others.

Asked about the impact that this discovery could have on the community or on people's lives, Ana Teresa Maia explains that, «since last year, the use of a specific drug for the treatment of tumors with these mutations was approved. We believe that studies like ours will help to identify with high precision the patients who can benefit from this innovative treatment».

The results achieved are crucial for patients and physicians.

“Patients because they see improvements in the understanding of the disease and its clinical management, which leads to an increase in the quality of life and the chances of survival. Doctors, because they will have another piece of the puzzle in their hands, which will increase their confidence in their clinical decisions», concludes the researcher.

This work has already given rise to a patent application for the development of tests for integration into clinical practice and was also awarded by the National Innovation Agency (ANI), through the Born from Knowledge (BfK) Ideas contest, which aims to promote a culture of enhancement of scientific and technological knowledge in Portugal.

Currently, a spin off installed at UAlg Tec Start, UAlg's incubator, for licensing and technology development.

 



Comments

Ads