Dr. Randy Martin: When a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, knowing what type of cancer she has can really aid in designing the right treatment plan. Now there is some exciting new research that shows that the use of genetic information may increase the likelihood of survival after chemotherapy. I spoke with cancer specialist Dr. Vasily Assikis to learn more.
Vasily Assikis, M.D., a medical oncologist at Piedmont Hospital, says that a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association may lead to improved outcomes for breast cancer patients. In the study, researchers found that through genetic testing of breast cancer patients, physicians could determine the effectiveness of chemotherapy and long-term survival rates.
?These researchers were looking at a new test not yet commercially available, that is helping doctors find out how likely certain chemotherapy will work for certain patients,? says Dr. Assikis.
To determine the specific genetic makeup of the tumor, Dr. Assikis says, ?we take the cancer specimen that has already been removed from the woman?s body and send it for specialized genetic testing. What comes back is a heat map of genes that will allow us to define what therapy is best suited for that person and whether chemotherapy will work really well or not.?
Right now, he says, this type of testing is limited. However, he believes it will become standard within five years, advancing the body of breast cancer research already available.
Dr. Randy Martin: As technology continues to improve, we could see genetic testing that will help physicians select a personalized treatment program for each breast cancer patient, leading to the best possible outcomes.
Additional Information:
- One of the biggest decisions regarding breast cancer treatment is whether to have preventative surgery or use chemotherapy.
- A potential benefit, some experts note, is reduced health care costs and a reduction in time spent treating the cancer because of the potentially more effective tailored treatment plans.
- The study also determined that the test could indicate that certain patients should explore clinical trial treatments, should chemotherapy prove not to be an effective option.
- The study was conducted from June 2000 to March 2010 to develop a predictor response for whether or not chemotherapy would yield the best results for each patient.
- Patients that were predicted to respond well to chemotherapy had a five-fold reduction in the risk of distant relapse, researchers found.
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Source: http://healthwatchmd.com/2011/05/genetic-testing-can-personalize-chemotherapy-for-cancer-patients/
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