We wish to invite everyone to the K1/K2 seminar series!

 Next seminar:
Title: “Genetic alterations causing resistance to chemotherapy in breast
cancer”
 Held by Stian Knappskog.
Section of Oncology, K2, UiB / Mohn Kreftforskningslab., HUS
When: Wednesday 4th of March, 14:15 – 15:00.
Where: Stort Auditorium, 3rd floor, Sentralblokken
Chair: Pål Njølstad

Abstract:

In an era where targeted cancer therapies are increasingly important,
resistance towards conventional chemotherapy still remains a main reason
for treatment failure and death among cancer patients. The molecular
mechanisms underlying resistance in vivo is poorly understood.
We have performed conventional molecular analyses as well as massive
parallel sequencing of cancer biopsies from prospectively built biobanks
in order to detect genetic alterations predicting sensitivity or
resistance to chemotherapy.
Preliminary data have shown genes involved in cellular signaling
pathways regulating cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and senescence as well
as DNA repair to be of importance to therapy response. E.g. alterations
inactivating p53 or its upstream regulators Chk2 and ATM have been found
to predict resistance to DNA damaging drugs (anthracyclins).
The long term aim is to pave the way for genetic testing of tumours
before commencement of treatment, in order to predict whether a tumour
is likely to respond to a given therapy or not. This may enable
administration of the drug most beneficial for each individual patient
and spare them for unnecessary side effects of drugs not likely to have
any effect on their tumour.