MONDAY, Oct. 3, 2005 (HealthDay News) -- Using DNA microarray technology to analyze certain genes could help predict a breast cancer patient's potential response to therapy, researchers say, highlighting those in need while sparing patients for whom the treatment might not be appropriate.
According to a Swedish team reporting in the current issue of Breast Cancer, this genetic information could be used to tailor therapy to individual patients and prevent them from having to endure painful, unsuccessful therapies, the study authors said.
They used microarray analysis to examine the gene expression profiles in tumor tissue samples from 159 patients. Of those patients, 38 had a poor prognosis -- relapse or death from any cause within five years.
Researchers from the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, identified a group of 64 genes that can be used to predict a breast cancer patient's five-year response to adjuvant therapy.
The study found that using the expression patterns of the 64 genes gave much better prediction rates than histological grading, tumor stage and age -- all accepted prognostic indicators for breast cancer.
More information
The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more about breast cancer treatments.
