Study: Genes May Predict Outcome for Breast Cancer Patients

A new genetic screening technique may help identify whether or not breast cancers are aggressive and likely to spread, according to researchers at the Netherlands Cancer Institute in Amsterdam.

The researchers reported in the journal Nature that they used microarrays to study 25,000 genes from breast cancers removed from 78 women, and found 70 genes that correctly predicted whether the cancer would or would not metastasize quickly to other parts of the body in 65 of the patients.

While the test is not ready for routine use, researchers hope that by identifying active genes, doctors may ultimately be able to better individualize treatment options, sparing women who have less aggressive forms of breast cancer unnecessary treatment..

"Using the current predictive criteria, 70 percent to 91 percent of the patients cured with surgery and radiotherapy would be unnecessarily advised to receive adjuvant (additional) therapy," said Carlos Caldas of Cambridge University in an accompanying article. "In contrast, using molecular forecasting, only a quarter of those patients would have been advised to undergo such treatment."

"If molecular forecasting of the outcome of cancer is indeed possible, as this work suggests, it is a significant advance on existing prognostic methods," added Caldas.

Other Sources: Nature