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Using gene expression data to direct breast cancer therapy: evidence from a preclinical trial

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Abstract

The heterogeneity both within and between breast cancers presents a significant clinical challenge for both diagnosis and therapy. This heterogeneity is present at all levels of analysis in breast cancer, ranging from genomic to metabolomic. A function of this heterogeneity is that numerous signaling networks are activated, and while treatment of one arm may be initially effective, this allows the tumor to be poised to evolve a resistance mechanism. Here we review the classification of breast cancers and discuss therapy of hormone positive, HER2 positive, and triple negative breast cancers. Model systems for breast cancer are examined allowing for a preclinical trial using a personalized medicine approach to be tested. This preclinical trial was based solely on cell signaling pathway activation and effectively and specifically blocked tumor growth in a preclinical model system.

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Funding

This work was supported with NIH R01CA160514 and Worldwide Cancer Research WCR - 14-1153 to E.R.A.

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  1. Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, 2194 BPS Building, 567 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA

    Shams Reaz & Eran R. Andrechek

  2. Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, College of Human Medicine, 788 Service Road, Room B-409, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA

    Deimante Tamkus

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  1. Shams Reaz
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Correspondence to Eran R. Andrechek.

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Reaz, S., Tamkus, D. & Andrechek, E.R. Using gene expression data to direct breast cancer therapy: evidence from a preclinical trial. J Mol Med 96, 111–117 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00109-017-1620-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00109-017-1620-7

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