Unique Gene Mutations Identified in Mesothelioma Tumors

by mesothelioma

Tuesday, October 13, 2009 at 08:12 PM EDT

New DNA sequencing technology at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) has identified several new unique genetic mutations in mesothelioma cancer cells that were previously unidentified.

The findings serve as promising evidence that the improved sensitivity and effectiveness of DNA sequencing technology is providing more pertinent and rapid results in relation to cancer gene profiling. Successful identification of over-expressed genes, for both mesothelioma and other types of cancer, can help dictate the best course of cancer treatment.

As lead author of the BWH study, David Sugarbaker, explains: “after spending a year and a half to develop the methodology and software for the pipeline, new tumors can be analyzed over the course of about a month. Knowing which genes are mutated opens the door to better understanding and the discovery of more targeted and effective patient-specific treatments in real time.”

In the initial mesothelioma analysis, tissue samples were taken from four patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma, one patient with lung cancer and one with normal lung tissue. All expressed genes from each sample were sequenced (numbered in the billions). With no preconceived notions of which genes may be indicators of mesothelioma, 15 new mutations were identified in the four mesothelioma tumor samples.

Moreover, it was found that each tumor had unique genetic mutations not shared by any other tumor sampled. This suggests that mesothelioma tumors are singularly unique, much like our fingerprints.

Ultimately, this study exhibits the promise of advancements in DNA sequencing technology. One day such technologies may be a standard procedure for all cancers used for the purpose of identifying tumor mutations and dictating treatment. As Fleisher envisions it: “every patient’s tumor will be directly sequenced to determine its mutations and optimal treatment just as we now identify the cause of an infection before selecting the best antibiotic to treat it.”

Resources: http://www.brighamandwomens.org/PressRel…

This article originally appeared on Mesothelioma Blog.