Genes interact to affect breast cancer survival
Key points
- A variation of a cancer-causing gene called SNP309 interacts with an anti-cancer gene, known as p53, to influence a woman's odds of surviving breast cancer, according to a report in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
- Stefan Ambs, from the National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, and colleagues investigated whether SNP309 was associated with breast cancer risk and outcome and whether it interacted with p53 to affect survival.
- Alone, SNP309 did not affect survival, but in combination with certain p53 changes, it seemed to reduce survival.
- Researchers have begun developing drugs that target the proteins produced by p53, Ambs said.
A variation of a cancer-causing gene called SNP309 interacts with an anti-cancer gene, known as p53, to influence a woman's odds of surviving breast cancer, according to a report in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Dr. Stefan Ambs, from the National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, and colleagues investigated whether SNP309 was associated with breast cancer risk and outcome and whether it interacted with p53 to affect survival.
Alone, SNP309 did not affect survival, but in combination with certain p53 changes, it seemed to reduce survival.
Researchers have begun developing drugs that target the proteins produced by p53, Ambs said. "Depending on the status of SNP309, a patient may respond well or may not have a good response to those or other drugs. Thus, the relationship between SNP309 status and the response to treatment should be studied."
SOURCE: Journal of the National Cancer Institute, July 5, 2006.
Written and revised by
Gerald Hurowitz, M.D.
Our doctors write and review articles for accuracy and keep them up to date.
health.am provides general information, not medical advice. Always consult a qualified health professional about your own health.
Explore health topics
More in this topic
Cancer →
NewsTests for genes don't predict breast cancer better
Studying genes linked to breast cancer may someday lead to better treatments, but they do little to improve a doctor's ability to predict who is likely to develop a tumor, researchers reported on Wednesday. Their study…
20 March 2010
NewsGenes Linked to Breast Cancer Drug Resistance Could Guide Future Treatment
Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have discovered a gene activity signature that predicts a high risk of cancer recurrence in certain breast tumors that have been treated with commonly used chemotherapy drugs.…
27 January 2010
NewsLifestyle affects risk of second breast cancer
Surviving breast cancer is no guarantee that a new cancer won't appear in the other breast. However, research now suggests that women can build their own personal armor to at least partially protect themselves from this…
12 September 2009
